Celebrations are in order and it’s the month of festivity and merriment! Here is a special Christmas message to all our readers – a reminder for all of us of Christ’s love in our lives and how truly blessed we are. The Tetso College family wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas! Stay safe and may Nagaland witness the true spirit of Christmas this 2015.
Christmas 2015
It is Christmas time again, and just like every year, Nagaland witnesses a flurry of Christmas activities, events and programmes. The festivities and celebrations include an extensive number of weddings, carnivals, melas, get-togethers and church programmes. But besides all these, the last few months of 2015 are actually different only in degrees from the rest of the year, as we still continue to witness both good and evil existing in our society. And that is where our weakness lies. While no country can ever be picture perfect, is it impractical to imagine that Nagaland can be a corrupt free, peaceful, united and problem-free place? I would like to believe that I can answer “No” with strong conviction, yet, to achieve that state I know is not an easy task.
Nagaland embraced Christianity in the late 1800’s and since then, celebrating the birth of Jesus every December has become part and parcel of our lives. The effects for any movement or event to be felt or seen is gradual and not always immediate. It needs time to take shape, express itself and develop. Just like the how we choose to celebrate Christmas differently from the year before, we have choices and decisions to make for the way we choose to lead our lives the rest of the year too. I believe this holiday season is the perfect time to reflect upon our Christian selves and it is my prayer that Christ will be at the centre of our lives and homes.
This Christian message is a simple reminder to all of us of the Christian lives we must lead in each of our own capacities as leaders, enablers, bosses, employees or supporters. We must put Jesus Christ first as the reason for our celebrations this Christmas. Jesus is no stranger, nor an ordinary citizen but the messiah or Saviour of the world. This is the spoken truth as prophesied in the book of Isaiah about the promise of Almighty God giving Christ to mankind with great names. The Angel Gabriel in the Gospel of Luke also announced the birth of Christ and how the Child will be conceived. This is the reason why Christmas is celebrated all over the world and is so important for Christians.
Jesus was given more than 200 names. In fact, the manner in which the son of God came to this world and the prominent names given to Him are found in the Bible are glaring enough to prove of his importance and majesty. “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; ……. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Is. 9: 6). He shall be called Immanuel which means God is with us (Is 7: 14). The Angel came before Joseph in his dream and said “she will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Mt. 1: 21). The above passage was prophesied/proclaimed some centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ. The Only Begotten son, Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, and the Creator of All Things are just a few of the many names of Jesus Christ, who is also known as the Lamb of God. It was fulfilled in the New Testament with a New Star. The appearance of the New Star was a sign of a New King. The Christmas star that we put up in our homes today is a sign that Christ lives in our homes. Amazing, Jesus, the son of God, was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger because there was no room for him. It took place in Bethlehem (Lk. 2:7). For an average man, one can only imagine how difficult it must have been to take in all the information and pronouncements that were being made. Yet, after two thousand fifteen centuries, the traces of this wonderful story remain when one visits the Holy Land and witness the sights for oneself.
So now, to put oneself in the shoes of Herod the King, or for that matter any other King at that period of time, the King will probably wonder if this New unborn King is truly more blessed and powerful than him. The threat felt was so profound for the Emperor Herod that many children below the age of two years were all murdered by the decree following the birth of the New King, but Jesus could not be murdered just because He is the son of the living God.
This year, the spirit of Christmas is abundant. In Dimapur, the neighbourhoods were all lined up with Christmas decorations right from 1st of December. Advent Christmas celebrations, family get-togethers, gifts of appreciation and thanks are just some of the activities the season brings on. So, as we plan 2015 Christmas Celebration, how will you celebrate the season? Will you be busy shopping for dresses, decorations, food items or gifts? While all of that is a part of preparing ourselves for Christmas, my wish for all of us is, in the midst of organising our schedules to balance our daily activities, attend weddings, worship programmes, dinner invitations, and distributing gifts, which are no doubt not an easy task, that we also remember to invite Christ in our hearts and worship Him in the true sense of the spirit that He deserves. This I believe is the greatest blessing we can receive. May Christmas 2015 be a season of sharing joy and love with others and may peace prevail in our hearts; and let us welcome the year 2016 with peace and prosperity.