Bishop of Yangon: Christ is reconciliation with God and among ourselves
Yangon (AsiaNews) - The following Christmas message of Archbishop Charles Bo of Yangon, was broadcasted from RVA, in Burmese, Kachin, Poe Karen and Sakaw Karen.
Dear esteemed listeners,
I am Archbishop Charles Bo of Yangon. I am very pleased for this golden opportunity to convey this year Christmas message to you. In this holy season, not only in other foreign countries, but also in our Yangon city, it is very astounding and stupefying. Churches, hotels, restaurants, malls, super markets and houses are decorated with dazzling twinkling Christmas lights. It is so thrilling. If we look back the very root of Christmas, we see that the Holy Name of Jesus is vivid and cannot be concealed. To simply put, one may well ask, “Why was Christ born?”
In ancient times, since man sinned against God and turned his back, the covenant between God and man was broken. However, it was God who took the initiative for reconciliation.
The one who is able to reconcile God and man must be divine as well as human. Thus, God sends His only begotten Son, Jesus, to assume human nature. Jesus is true God and true man. Since He is God, he can set aside human outlook and is born as an outcast in the lowly manger of Bethlehem.
In this way, he is one with the poor and the destitute. Truly he is the God who loves the poor and the oppressed. He understands them very well and is so close to them.
Jesus is God who became man. From the very moment of his birth until his excruciating death on the gibbet of the cross his goal also is “Reconciliation”. That is to bring reconciliation between God and man, as well as between man and man. In our Asian continents, people are devout and pious. We, Asians, give God the first place in our lives. Whereas in the Western society like Europe, many people are keeping God out of their lives. Sometimes they even take pride in saying boastfully and egoistically like, “I have no religion,” or “I don’t believe in any God”, etc.
As the colorful species of water lilies make a lake beautiful,
as the different shapes of trees make the forest gorgeous,
as the twinkling stars make the sky glittering,
it is God who makes our lives celestial.
Only when we are spiritual and have intimacy with God, and only when we are prayerful and trusting in God, we can be able to truly reconcile with God. We can become friends of God.
Dear listeners,
The second part of reconciliation is the reconciliation among human beings. In this present era of ours, the people live with multi cultures and multi religions. Many countries hold on to multi-parties system. Thus, to make friends with others, it is essential to accept the differences. It is a must to respect the differences.
If we do not see the differences as weaknesses and if we do not take the differences as something endangering us, these differences can become strength for us. If we can accept the differences, these differences can become perfection. If a person is obdurate and narrow minded, there can never be reconciliation. If a person merely values his or her own religion, culture and party alone, while underestimating that of others, or if a person views the differences as oppositions, peace and reconciliation can never ever be constructed.
In our present era, it is so unfeasible for someone to declare as my own religion is the only living religion, or my own culture is the only culture that has a right to sustain. If he or she tries to do otherwise, the peace of the nations and of the world will definitely be endangered.
The Constitution of our country clearly states that every citizen has the right to freedom of religion and worship. Every religion has the equal right. It evidently mentions also that every religion gets protection equally. But, in practice it still needs to actualize. In some parts of the country it is too difficult even to build a small chapel for worship. It is strictly prohibited. Due to the reasonless complain of some jealous and narrow-minded people, at times the Christians who want to live simple and peaceful lives get annoyed. Is it not quite natural for any faithful from any religion to stay peacefully in their respective societies and to worship in their respective religious places, like Churches?
Let us not see the differences as a weakness or a hostile voice, but as a potential strength.
At the time of Christ’s birth, the celestial song of the angles is: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those of good will!” Who has peace? Who can possess peace? Only those of good will. Who is a good-willed person? Only the one who accepts the differences, only the one who respects anyone from any other religions, only the one who values other’s culture and only the one who respectfully listens to others from the different parties is a person of good will.
May each and every one of you possess “Peace” in your heart, in your family and in your country!
A very happy Christmas to you all!
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15/05/2018 14:19
