Blithe spirit amid the biting cold

Andrew Heanngam Pamei *

Evening of Christmas on December 24 2014 at Imphal area along with Christmas carol :: Pix - Bond Armando

It's that time of the year again when Jack Frost sneaks in through the window and frost-bite us albeit we are buckled up for the cold snap. We brace ourselves up with sweltering dresses to tussle the bitter winter's icy flurry, yet, we get out of our warm comfy bed and forthwith greeted by a chill inside our home, because we aren't willing to turn on the heater and admit that winter has won.

It's that time of the year, when it gets dark way to early, which can suck the soul out of anyone. Winter time is the time that oft-recount a dry, cold tale and conforming oneself to it seems aye a hassle, but, for Christians, there's a blithe spirit within, which bestows the strength to endure and journey through the excruciating chilly winter season. Though it's the struck of the dead of winter, the ecstasy is kept intact, because there's a profound reason for this season- 'tis the festive season; A Christmas time.

Christmas day is a day celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. It's the time when the crystal notes of midnight mass rise into the sky to spangle the silent night with stars of wonder and stars of light. It is the time when we nurture the spirit of giving, without a thought of getting. It's the time when we forget ourselves and find time for others. Christmas is love in action, because during Christmas the fire of hospitality is kindled, the genial flame of charity in the heart. It's the perfect time of celebrating the love of God.

When Christ was born two millennia syne, the world was never the same again. When Jesus Christ came into this world, love entered into human history in a new and in a very unique way. We are never left on our own because Christ in the form of love was birthed in every believer of Christ by God the spirit as by-product of the eternal life of Christ.

Jesus Christ doesn't come into this world just to retort the skepticism we think significant. He doesn't come to give us a set of techniques for keeping God elated; and He certainly doesn't come to create a harmlessly eccentric hobbies for speculative minds. But more so, He comes to fabricate humanity itself new, to create fresh possibilities, thus empowering us to accomplish what God put us here to do on earth by escorting us through life's journey, and to be at peace with God and with men of all goodwill.

Winter after winter, each Christmas reminds me of a great parable that unbosom how Christ, out of unconditional love, escorts and carries us through in the sojourn of our life. The parable goes like this…

Once, a teenage boy had a dream, perhaps a vision. In that vision he saw that he was strolling along the beach with Jesus and across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he perceived two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonged to him, the other to Jesus. When the ultimate scene of his life flashed, he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

The boy perceived that many times along the path of life, there was only one set of footprints. He also perceived that it befell at the very lowest and hardest times of his life. This really bothered him and he questioned Jesus about it. "Jesus, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way, but I noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why in times when I needed you most, you'd leave me."

Jesus replied, "My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you during your times of trials and sufferings. When you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

I presume this parable takes you to the realm of profound reflection. This parable delineates how Christ, at every moment of our life escorts and carries us through our life's journey. It depicts His unconditional love which is far greater than pen or human tongue can express. This parable assures us of Him carrying us through our life's journey just as He carried the teenage boy in the parable during the times of trials and sufferings, but if only we let our life a Bethlehem this Christmas by letting His spirit its birth in our heart.

If we allow that spark of divine element express itself in our life, we'll never be on our own but, we'll walk with Christ Jesus in our life's Journey. I am told of a puissant fable on how we will feel like when we walk with Jesus Christ. When we walk with Christ, we might feel like the little mouse who was crossing a bridge over a deep ravine with an elephant. As the elephant and the mouse crossed the bridge, the bridge shook. When they got to the other side, the mouse looked at his huge companion and said, 'Boy, we really shook that bridge, didn't we?"

When we walk with Christ Jesus, that's often how we will feel- like a mouse with the strength of an elephant. After crossing life's troubled waters, we can say with the mouse, 'Jesus, we really shook that bridge didn't we?"

This is the blithe spirit and an unyielding aplomb Christians possess amid the biting cold; sturdily trusting that, if we give place for birth of Christ's spirit in our heart during Christmas, we'll be able to walk with Christ like the teenage boy in the parable and the mouse in the fable. And the strength of Christ in our life will tote athwart life's troubled waters to capture the victor's cup, for we are more than conquerors through Christ who strengthen us.

May this Christmas empower you to reach your chef d'oeuvre and wow the folks around you. May the bliss of this Christmas aid you live an incredibly blessed life.

Wishing you all a very happy and a grace filled Christmas. God bless you all.