Christmas, A Subversive Gift!

Winnipeg Ethnic News Vol.1 Issue No.1 , December 15, 2017

The Diversity Times December 9, 2017

Levy Abad

What's wrong with Christmas trees, colourful lights, buying and giving gifts for our loved ones?  While I was reflecting on the answer to this question, I was reminded of the song of Michael Jackson, Give Love on Christmas Day. Whether one is a Catholic, Orthodox, a member of the United Church of Canada, mainstream, protestant or evangelical, each has his or her way of celebrating Christmas usually by giving gifts. With this tradition comes the commercialization of Christmas, which others see as opportunistic and shunned by some people. Well, who’s to blame? The Christmas business is just an offshoot of the collective psyche of people rooted in a two thousand year old tradition called Christianity. Opportunities like this cannot escape the dynamics of capitalism.

Take out the concept of life, liberation and redemption as a gift of God, rooted in the scripture and what would we be celebrating? John 3:16 says that "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." Indeed, the birth of Jesus triggered changes in consciousness.

All Christendom or even other belief systems share the idea that it is better to give than to receive. This is the time of the year that most migrants all over the world will be sending gifts to their loved ones in line with the Christmas tradition. Christmas is continuously observed so that the elementary message of giving will be ingrained in society. Who cares whether it is the actual Christmas or just a theological one, as long as the tradition of giving gifts to loved ones is continued and observed.

Matthew 5:29 says, "If your eye (evil eye / ayin raah) causes you to sin, you must tear it out at once and cast it from you.” This verse is about the concept of good eye and evil eye, which most people misunderstood without digging into the Hebraic / Aramaic idiomatic root of the concept. The evil eye referred to by Matthew is about stinginess or greediness. If one is stingy, how could a person do acts of righteousness, compassion and mercy, among other things?  All these revolutionary values start out with giving without expecting anything in return, the true meaning of Christianity. Essentially, activism is the spirit of Christmas done everyday.

Jesus’ birth two thousand years ago is a gift of life. He led a revolutionary life that ended in crucifixion (martyrdom) for the salvation of many. Hundreds of years ago, Caesar was considered the son of God, but with the birth of Jesus and the life that Jesus led, the Roman Empire crumbled in a protracted manner.  Caesar is no more, but Rome, as the seat of Christendom and all its “strands,” still stands. What greatest gift can one ask for aside from this?

Majority of the apostles offered their lives as part of the story of remembrance and resistance, a subversive memory of giving and selfless love. With this great message, let us celebrate the holiday season by remembering our friends and those who cannot celebrate Christmas because of their current situation. Let us offer gifts and embrace the spirit of sharing, giving and of letting go, of embracing life by sharing it. It is only through this that we can experience the true meaning of this season. Every gift that we give is like a seed that grows in the heart of the giver and receiver. It is the only way to freedom, the radical nature of truth, and the liberation of life. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

( This article was originally published under the title ,"Christmas, A Celebration of Life! in The Diversity Times and Winnipeg Ethnic News December 15, 2017 issue. )

(Levy Abad is a freelance writer and also a singer songwriter/recording artist and a member of Migrante Canada-Mb chapter and also a founding member/ program coordinator of Winnipeg Multicultural Human Rights Forum, Levy has released four albums , Canadian Experience Vol. 1 (iTunes ), Never Give Up and Rhythms of Compassion CanEx 3.and for June 2017 ,"Tara ng Maglakbay". You can reach Levy Abad through , lev67.abad@yahoo.ca or on Facebook.).