Sociopolitical aspects of historical Christmas

Aloys Budi Purnomo, Rector, St. Peter Major Seminary, Pematang Siantar, North Sumatra
aloybudipurnomo@plasa.com

Indeed, in the perspective of the Christian faith, Christmas is a great moment in history in which we look on a newborn baby, Jesus Christ. Rightly, whenever we look on a newborn baby, we are immediately able to perceive a new history opening up before us. We see a whole new life yet to be lived, full of dazzling possibilities, minus the baggage that comes with the living of life, which can so easily weigh us down.

But the question is what is the relationship between Christmas and our lives today? Is it only a moment that occurred three millennia ago or is there something significant and relevant to our current lives? Is there a sociopolitical aspect of Christmas we should consider today?

Let us first of all recapture the exact relationship between Christmas and its sociopolitical aspects, as advocated in the normative teachings of the Bible. Most biblical texts we can cite show the relationship between Christmas and the sociopolitical aspect in the Magnificat of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as noted by St. Luke 1:46-55. Surely, this Magnificat consists of sharp and critical statements in its sociopolitical aspect as follows: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant ... He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled up the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty ... ."

Exactly, from this Magnificat of Mary we come to know the sociopolitical aspect of Christmas. It can be inferred that in Jesus, who was born from the womb of Mary, we have a God who assumes the struggle of the poor as God's own so that it becomes the divine struggle for the poor, the struggle God launched against the proud, the powerful and the rich.

Modifying Edward Schillebeeckx's idea (in God the Future of Man, 1968, pp. 98-103), we can summarize this Magnificat by saying that Jesus did not give his life in liturgical solemnity. On the contrary, in an obvious secular conflict, colored though it was by religion, he remained faithful to God and to men and gave his life for his own in a secular combination of circumstance. In the light of this opinion, we can say that Christmas is an hour of human life which Jesus experienced as worship. In it our redemption is to be found.

Clearly, Jesus was born in such secular (that is, sociopolitical) conflict. It is also the reason why he was very interested in joining the ancient tradition of prophetic asceticism represented by John the Baptist. By joining this tradition, Jesus discovered an authentic spirituality and an appropriate point of departure for his own prophetic mission.

As a matter of fact, when Jesus answered his prophetic call, he was faced with several streams of traditional religiousness. But not every kind of religion appealed to him. The Zealot movement did not attract him. Nor did the sectarian puritanism of the Sessenes have any impact on him. He was not interested in Pharisaic spirituality of self-righteousness. Instead, he openly ridiculed it. Also, Jesus confronted the aristocratic leisure- class spirituality of the Sadducees -- the chief priests and elders.

That Jesus decided to choose the ancient tradition of prophetic asceticism represented by John the Baptist proved his form of liberative commitment to the oppressed, sinners and the poor. He had been identifying himself with the religious poor of the countryside who came to be baptized by John the Baptist.

The sociopolitical implication of this consideration makes us realize that the main meaning of Christmas is not the celebration but the action. Indeed, liturgically, Christians have to celebrate Christmas. But the most important thing is "Christmas action." This is a secular commitment rather than liturgical celebration. It is based on a sociopolitical reinterpretation of the biblical teachings on liturgy as mentioned above. For Christians, being a Christian, most of all, means being called to follow Jesus Christ. And so, Christianity is a message of life, a message based on the gratuitous love of Jesus Christ for us.

According to the mission given by the Lord Jesus Christ to Christians, they must make every effort to bring the peace of Christmas to the people of the world so that they all may share with them in the salvation brought by Jesus Christ. But once again, the question is to what extent can it still be relevant and significant to our lives today? Is there a way that can integrate this principle of Christian faith on Christmas with the sociopolitical situation?

In discerning these questions, it is very interesting that, this year, the message of Christmas of the Indonesian Bishops' Conference (KWI) has emphasized several sociopolitical aspects of Christmas. For example, the message stated that Indonesia as a nation is currently very sick, with extensive damage in the sociopolitical arena. In such a situation, Christians are urged to struggle for building a just and peaceful society. They have to restore the moral and social order in accordance with Jesus who comes and struggles to free humankind from fear, suffering and death.

As the followers of Jesus Christ, Christians have to engage in working justice and peace. Inspired by the message of the first Christmas, which proclaims that Jesus is the King of Peace, every Christian has to have commitment to promote true peace, the fruit of justice, the moral virtue and legal guarantee that ensures full respect for rights and responsibilities, and the just distribution of benefits and burdens.

Today, human justice and peace are always fragile. Some even use them to excuse acts of terrorism. In such a context, we must firmly announce that the injustices that exist in the world can never be used to excuse act of terrorism, separatism, religious fanaticism nor religious fundamentalism.

May this Christmas become a new invitation for us to open our hearts to address problems in our daily lives so that the sociopolitical implications of this celebration come true! Merry Christmas!