- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 20/12/2024 07:46

Christmas and concept of a common humanity

THE EDITOR: There is a moral grandeur of the teachings of Lord Jesus Christ as enunciated in the Sermon on the Mount, for it has not only regenerated a common humanity and promoted a social solidarity, it has inspired mankind to noble deeds of self-sacrifice, charity, peace, compassion, integrity, and service. In 2024, are we the manifestation of this great universal declaration? “Like Lord Krishna and Buddha, Jesus Christ did not preach a mere ethical, social or religious gospel, but an uncompromisingly spiritual one. He declared that God can be seen, that divine perfection can be achieved," writes Swami Prabhavananda. He continued: “In order that men might attain this supreme goal of existence, he (Jesus) taught the renunciation of worldliness, the contemplation of God, and the purification of the heart through the love of God. These simple and profound truths, stated repeatedly in the Sermon on the Mount, constitute its underlying theme…” The question is when would we feel the spirit of Christmas? Is it found in the shopping malls, the bars, or the market square? In fact, where are we mortals looking for it? Do we expect it to come from the pulpits, or from the wayside preacher? To some, it might be so. But the answer remains incomplete until we get to know ourselves, and our real purpose on Earth. Will there ever be goodwill to men? Will there be peace on Earth? Will there ever be the spirit of love? Will there ever be truth, integrity and honesty? The immorality of life continues to outstage the morals of life. What has caused this social, moral, ethical and spiritual decadence? Who engineered it? And why? And what are the prescriptions to cure these ills? The hope is that there is a cure. Initiatives are being espoused at national and international forums. Political leaders of the world’s most metropolitan countries are hard at work, but success seems to elude them. But there must be an immediate embargo on all forms of greed, waste, corruption, murder, terrorism, human trafficking and the like as no amount of legislation will solve this. It must come within, and this is within the competence of all of us. While people of the world sit at the lunch or dinner table and toast for peace and goodwill to all men, is it genuine? Is it just mockery? We speak of peace as an objective, but we seldom examine the ingredients of peace that comprise the moral and spiritual force of mankind. In the case of Christians, the underlying message of Christmas is found around the Sermon on the Mount. It is mankind’s hope for salvation, for it is a monumental spiritual document of the most profound significance and importance. Yes, we have the Sermon on the Mount, but there is still so many problems in the world. What would have happened without it? Probably mankind would still be living in a world where, in the immortal words of 17th century British philosopher Thomas Hobbes, the life of man would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.” We in TT, because of our cosmopolitan structure, can boast of sharing Christmas with each other. Other religious denominations join with Hindus and Muslims in the observance of Divali and Eid. Likewise, Hindus and Muslims join hands with Christians to celebrate Christmas. This sharing aims to promote inter-religious and inter-racial solidarity, and points the way for a comprehensive policy on multiculturalism. Noted scientist Albert Einstein describes the complimentary nature of religion and science in picturesque words: “Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind. We need a spiritual revolution reflecting the teachings of all the major religions.” The Sermon on the Mount is a counsel for perfection as it teaches that the real goal of human life is to unfold and manifest divinity. Mankind has another chance in 2024 to do just that. Let us embark on a spiritual programme to uplift ourselves and our societies. A spiritual Christmas 2024? PARAS RAMOUTAR via e-mail The post Christmas and concept of a common humanity appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.