…And A Prosperous New Year!
Another Christmas is here with us again. And very soon, we’ll be saying Goodbye to the Year 2011 with full of joy and positive expectations. As W. J. Tucker, Pulpit Preaching, has observed, for centuries “men” [and indeed “women”] have kept an appointment with Christmas. Christmas means fellowship, feasting, giving and receiving, a time of good cheer, home.
But X’Mas season can also evoke mixed-feelings. For example, our love ones who were with us in the previous celebration but are today, nowhere to be found because they have passed away!
Whatever our thoughts or sorrows might be, we might be inspired by George F. McDougall that best of all, Christmas means a spirit of love, a time when the love of God and the love of our fellow men should prevail over all hatred and bitterness, a time when our thoughts and deeds and the spirit of our lives manifest the presence of God.
We might indeed have our differences on the central theme on Christmas.
Yet you might also agree with Loring A. Schuler that Christmas fulfils the greatest hunger of mankind.
Christmas has come to symbolise not only as the Birth of Jesus Christ to Christians but also a special period fto people of diverse religious faith.
It is an occasion that we take stock of our actions and inactions and in relation to not only our personal lives or that of our immediate family and communities but also our contributions to the world at large.
The greatest hunger of our generation is the cry for love, global justice, human development and progess.
Dave Barry writes in “Christmas Shopping: A Survivor’s Guide”, that in the old days, Christmas was not called the Holiday Season. “The Christians called it ‘Christmas’ and went to church; the Jews called it ‘Hanukkah’ and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say ‘Merry Christmas!’ or ‘Happy Hanukkah!’ or (to the atheists) ‘Look out for the wall!’ So enjoy your X’Mas holidays but as Leigh Hunt puts it, “fail not to call to mind, in the course of the [25th] of this month, that the Divinest Heart that ever walked the earth was born on that day; and then smile and enjoy yourselves for the rest of it; for mirth is also of Heaven’s making.”
We at JusticeGhana wish to say Afenhyiapa- meaning; Happy, Happy X’Mas to you and the rest of the world… Be Gladly Happy, for the Lord is born and our bags and baggage are still upon his shoulders! So stay Blessed and enjoy your Christmas festivities!
Gina Amoakwa-Fordjour
Director And Publisher
