Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ who was born 2000 years ago. Carols are sung in praise and worship, recollecting the nativity of Jesus.
St. Mathew, in his gospel, recorded that the birth of Jesus, brought wise men from the far-off East. They came to worship
Jesus as they were prompted by the unique astrological phenomenon in the sky. As these wise men were from the East, the general belief is that they were from India.
Among the ancient nations of the world, India figures prominently in the Bible. Mention is made of Ahasuerus, who ruled an empire, stretching from India to Ethiopia.
The church of India was founded by St. Thomas himself, who was one among the 12 disciples of Jesus. He came to India, in 52 AD and was successful in establishing churches in a number of places, particularly in South India. St. Thomas Mount, where he was martyred and the Santhome Cathedral in Chennai, where he was buried, are a living testimony to the 1960-year-old history of the Indian church.
In the book of Genesis, we read that the first man Adam was created by God in his own image. The authority and glory that God gave to Adam were lost, because of disobedience and sin. Jesus, who is also called the Second Adam, came to restore mankind to the original glory.
The Apostle Paul says: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
It was the poor shepherds in the neighbourhood of Bethlehem who were the first to know the messiah's birth. The angels, while giving the good news to them proclaimed: "Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth, good will toward men."
This divine message of the angels is the remedy for the present-day strife-torn world. If we care to follow this message, the world would be much better to live in.