KENOSIS, THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS

            A couple of weeks back I came across an advertisement in the cyber space which caught my immediate attention and led me to think about as to what Christmas means today to millions of the so called ‘Christians’ worldwide and what its possible meaning could be. The advertisement, which I am referring to, was placed by an entertainment group in the United States of America, appealing to Christians worldwide to contribute to the Christmas celebration of the thousands of NATO soldiers stationed in Afghanistan.
            One might ask, what is wrong with the advertisement? Is it not our privilege to show our solidarity to these men who are far from home fighting for a cause that their nations think they must? Well, it is neither my intention to get into the debate as to whether these men truly serve the humanity with the spirit of Christ nor to unravel the hidden meanings of the advertisement itself. One thing is clear that anyone with the spirit of Christ may possibly wonder what Christmas has to do with most of the contemporary celebrations throughout the length and breadth of the globe.
            It is against this background, I would like to reflect on the message of Christmas. Christmas to me means ‘kenosis’ i.e., self-emptying of Jesus Christ. This insight dawned to me as I was reflecting on the words of St. Paul; “though he was in the form of God, (he) did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness” (Phil 2:6). This is the crux of Christmas that God emptied himself taking the form of a human person to tell the world that He loves it in spite of the imperfections present   in it. St. John expresses the same: “For God so loved the world that He gave his only son…” (Jn 3:16). Hence, Christmas means to find ourselves at one with the despised humanity that awaits for the coming of its saviour and Lord. In short, it is a call to make a choice to become Christ.

Two Pronged Responses to Jesus’ Self-empting
            Interstingly, Sts. Matthew and Luke record two kinds of responses that Christ’ kenosis produced in those who came to know of his incarnation. It was a great joy to simple people like the wearied shepherds. In joy they responded, “Let us go now…and see this thing which the Lord has made known to us,” (Lk 2:15). At the same time, we see another kind of response. St. Matthew observes this: “When King Herod heard this he was frightened and the whole Jerusalem with Him,” (Mt 2:3). Jesus’ self-emptying marked the beginning of an era of justice which was opposed to that of the arrogant.
The call of Christmas
            The call of Christmas is direct and radical. It is a call to incarnate ourselves in the midst of thousands of our fellow humans who are despised, ill-treated, manipulated, shunned and hunted like animals. Christ’s kenosis challenges us to get rid of our complacent-safe-harbors of daily life and to be of service to our fellow humans in pain. No doubt this act of emptying ourselves will result in mixed reactions. It is through Christ’s self-emptying we have come to be Christians and it is only through our self-emptying in service Christ’s incarnation or Christmas will make sense to those who have not received Him as their Lord and Saviour.
            Dear brothers, the kenosis of Jesus is not a fine concept but the very life of the son of God who was born homeless. Let the kenosis of Christ raise self-probing questions to us; as we look forward in joy for the night that brought forth the son of God to this splendid and spoiled world, let us resolve to incarnate ourselves in the midst of our fellow humans who await for Christ.


Bro. Thomas, Sdb.

Comments

Robert William said…
A wonderful insight indeed. It makes me say along with brother Thomas, "It is in giving that we receive." In giving of our selfish motives our self-satisfactory pleasures and comforts we receive the Lord in our hearts. Let the new year born help us to experience Christ in giving of something.

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J.P.R.William
January 10, 2011 at 3:19 AM
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