Along with the Christians, people of other religions and cultures also celebrate Christmas with gaiety and enthusiasm, which has received good media coverage as well.
All this is an inspiring manifestation of the deep-rooted spirit of tolerant Indians.
All-embracing tolerance was the most outstanding feature of the message and work of Jesus. The prevailing society of Jesus’ time was badly damaged by a spirit of intolerance. Therefore, people were agitated by intense discontent and frustration. It was a fragmented society.
In such an inhuman situation, Jesus mingled with all people - He maintained relations of love, forgiveness, unity and solidarity. Living always in good relations with people was the fundamental characteristic of the religion established by Jesus.
Only an exclusive faith in God is not a religion; only an exclusive and disconnected devotion (bhakti) to God is not religion. Religion, according to Jesus, is made of two coinciding and simultaneous relationships: with God and with all men and women.
A religion of Jesus is both vertical and horizontal. Accordingly, He accepted the Jews and the non-Jews: the Samaritans, the Lebanese, the Greeks, the Romans. They all practised different religions and cultures. He welcomed them all. He did not reject and exclude anybody.
Jesus accepted the sinner and the saint, the erudite and the illiterate, the poor and the rich, the rulers and the ruled, the natives and the foreigners. He condemned sin but did not condemn the sinner. He criticised and corrected the rich, the proud, the oppressive rulers, the hypocrites and the exploiters. But He forgave them all and sustained good and loving relations with them.
Today, there is tension and unease on account of religion and culture, both in the country and in the world. Relations among people have been strained. This is not in keeping with India’s spirit of tolerance.
In such a situation, Christmas comes to us with a relevant message: live in good relations with all people, whatever the differences and diversity of religions and cultures. I wish you all a very Happy Christmas.
- Bishop of Pune Thomas Dabre