The Bahama Journal Editorial:

Sadly, many Christians in many parts of the Bahamas, the wider region and the world are increasingly cowering in fear and becoming timid in their witness.

And sadder still,  fear is our common prison that keeps us locked up in cycles of mistrust and shattered dreams; it is a species of dread that burrows deep into the human psyche where like a canker, it rots the soul.

And thus it now arises that we live in a society where there is no peace, where justice is trampled underfoot and where reconciliation and forgiveness appear as if they are the stuff of which mirages are made.

For our part, we are today – as believers in the Word – absolutely convinced that, the same message of the first Christmas rings true today, “Fear not!”

We too say, Fear not; precisely because we do believe that, there is a child who was born into a world of fear in order to take away that fear and to bring peace to earth and good will to humankind.

This is our hope for you and yours at this precious time.

But notwithstanding all this, the fact remains that, Christmas –as most people know and celebrate the occasion – has become little more than a pretext taken by many who wish to eat, drink and [somehow or the other] experience for themselves some version of what passes for ‘being merry’.

Happily, there is also a sense where Christmas is celebrated –as it should- by men and women who are acutely aware that, Advent is all about that moment in cosmic history when the Word itself became flesh; that moment when God Almighty –once considered far from His creation – took up residence [so to speak] in the flesh.

But yet again, as we know from the Scriptures – the word in the wind was to the effect that once Emmanuel had come, the world would esteem him not; that he would be scourged; and that He would die that death which was reserved for the vilest of criminals.

And for sure, while He was fated to die the death; we who aspire to walk in His footsteps as we take up our own crosses walk in hope that like Him, we shall rise triumphant.

And so it is today that, another Christmas is upon us; and sadly, while there is all that chatter about Christmas cheer, the fact today is that, very many of our people are convinced that there is nothing real for them in all the hoop-la that accompanies this consumer-drenched time – a time when people are supposed to be happy.

But much to their chagrin,  very many of our people are today enmeshed in the coils of fear; some of them because they have been witness to sorrow and tragedy as they lived to tell the stories of fathers, mothers, daughters, sisters, brothers and other kin laid low and wasted, maimed, bruised, battered, murdered or disappeared.

Some of these people know fear as well as they know the backs of their hands; fear is in charge when they go to work; fear is in charge when they read the newspapers; and obviously fear is victorious when a man or woman returns home to find that, his sanctuary has been violated.

Or for that matter, what about that woman and her daughters who were savagely abused by a gaggle of demented rapists – and surely, then- what about that blanket of fear that now envelops each and every one of these persons.

But strange as it might at first appear, this reality of fear and its dread consequences is no new thing; indeed, the first two words of the very first Christmas are, “Fear not."

Evidently, these were the first words heard by the shepherds, by Zechariah, and by Mary; and here we might wish to reflect on the fact that, both Mary and Joseph were enjoined by God’s emissaries to banish fear from their hearts.

So, too are we called.

We are called to the realization that, what they were hearing was the greatest news of all; that to them a Child was born; and that, unto them a King was given.

And so it was that they were called to banish fear and thereafter live in hope; and so – even as we celebrate the birth of the Christ child; we recall that He was fated to be associated with grief  [ and so He was as He hung there on that old rugged cross].

But as we know [since we are a Resurrection people]; He conquered Death, Hell and the Grave.

And so, and even in this dread time when fear is so very pervasive; we remain [albeit in our guise as but a mighty remnant]; a hope-filled people; embarked on our own sweet and true road to Bethlehem.

December 24, 2010

The Bahama Journal Editorial

Caribbean Blog International