Grace and peace to you my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Merry Christmas to you all.
This year’s Christmas is a peculiar one; needless to say, it is a difficult one for many of us. Christmas this year is a simple one, in fact for some, there is no Christmas this year since there is no party, no vacation, no get-together, no indulgence, no pubs, no nativity plays and carols services, no Sancta Claus, I heard he tested positive to Covid-19, so he is isolating, many children are disappointed, no gifts in their stockings or pillowcases. The decorations in most homes are modest, some are mourning, some are just recovering and so are not feeling Christmassy.
The truth is that Christmas this year is different but the Christmas message is the same. God became flesh and was born to us, to live among us, that little child is God-with-us.
Christmas is not in the Santa Claus or decoration, not in the nativity plays or Carols, not in the gifts we place under our Christmas’ trees but in the humble heart that receives the gift of Christ.
Let us look at the circumstances surrounding the birth of this God-child, look at where He was born; the Son of God was born in a manger, with animals and shepherds. He was not born in a Five-star inn, not even a private but classy hospital. God was born in a manger.
The Son of God chose a manger, a stable.
The first Christmas was a very simple one and may be this year, God wants us to return to that simplicity. Jesus wants his birthday this year to be celebrated with simplicity. He wants us to learn again this virtue of simplicity that is fast eroding in our world.
Taking all these into consideration, I shall be reflecting today on the virtue of simplicity.
What is the virtue of simplicity?
- Simplicity is living with what we need as opposed to what we want.
It means not desiring more than what we need. This stands in sharp contrast to a life of greed, covetousness, unbridled acquisition and wastage.
A man named Epictetus says, “Wealth consists not in having great possessions but in having few wants.”
- Simplicity is living within our means.
Many people are stressed today because they are living above their means, creating a standard of living that they can’t really maintain. Many people have put themselves in unnecessary debts, taken unnecessary loans, paying for unnecessary assets and gadgets. Creating an impression of affluence, an impression that is leading them to depression.
Many times people put themselves in this situation out of pride and vainglory. Simplicity opposes pride and vanity.
- Simplicity is focusing on what is essential in life, it is realising what is important.
Simplicity teaches us to let go of everything that doesn’t really contribute to our happiness. This is one of the lessons that this pandemic has taught many people. They have realised that most of the things they filled their lives with are not actually necessary. Only a few things are important, many learn this only at deathbed.
- Simplicity is the ability to detach from what we have.
This is the freedom to be generous with anything, it is the opposite of a life of hoarding, and it consists in not allowing what we have to control, possess or dictate our happiness.
Think of the number of shoes, bags, dresses, gadgets, Jewelries, hats, that some of us are hoarding and we can not give out, instead we want to take more. Where is our poverty of spirit? Where is our spirit of detachment? Where is our simplicity?
- Simplicity means to be content with what we have, with what God gives us.
God always gives us what we need for what He wants us to do and how He wants us to live.
Simplicity of life gives us freedom, it gives us peace, it saves us from stress and unnecessary worries, it lightens our hearts, helps us to be more generous and be a blessing to others, it fosters our relationship with God and others, it helps us to focus on what is right, what is necessary and what contributes to our happiness both in time and eternity.
As we behold God in a manger, let us pray today for the virtue of simplicity. We could make a decision from today also, to get rid of all that we have saddled our lives with but are not necessary, we could decide to let go of some things, give some of our possessions to the needy and concentrate on what is important in life.
This is the meaning and message of Christmas.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on Christmas Day – December 25, 2020.