Eye Opener
Christmas with poor and needy
Are Christians concerned about the poor and needy this Christmas? Every December 24, the divine birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated all over the Christian nations. Christmas is an opportune time for people to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. There are people who worship Jesus on Christmas Day, and Resurrection Sunday. Devote Christians practically worship God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit 365 days a year. Many live a righteous and holy life, a few don’t. But all Christians are accountable to God at the end of their journey here on earth. Let us however be sincere in our worship to God Almighty if our aim after our life here on earth is through. There is no second chance.
The birth of Jesus Christ this December is a unique opportunity for us Christians to dedicate fully our lives to Him. Let us not lose this opportunity to dedicate our lives to Jesus Christ and ask forgiveness of our sins, be born again and live a righteous life henceforth. Family members gather around on Christmas Day and eat sumptuous food. Sad to say, the poor and the needy may or may not partake good food on Christmas Day. In far flung rural areas, lowly people eat camoteng kahoy, saging sab-a and balinghoy with taho and luy-a as beverage. But still other poor Filipinos go to sleep without taking any food. Good for the poor people in the city, civic, religious and kind-hearted people distribute goodies and hearty foods to them.
Some poor people borrow money just to celebrate Christmas the way rich people do. Heartless lenders charge exorbitant interest rates and they are not aware that God is not happy about it. God said in Exodus 22:25, “If thou lend money to any of my people who is poor among you, thou shalt not be to him as a usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.” A number of rich landlords oppress their poor tenants to the extent that they maltreat them bodily or castigate them in their work due to debts unpaid. Psalms 12:5, “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise with the Lord, and I will set him on safety from him who puffeth at him.”
This Christmas, let us offer our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ whatever we have. Let us share these to our brethren poor, needy or plenty. Jesus said, in Mathew 25:40, “Verily I say unto you, in as mush as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethren, you have done it unto me.”
This Christmas, let us all practice with sincerity our Christian faith by making the Christmas merry and joyful particularly for the poor and the needy; let’s practice our Christian faith in truth and in spirit. Merry Christmas to you all!*
