wfn.org | ACNS3715 A Christmas Message from the Rt Revd Duleep de

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3715     |     SRI LANKA	  |	19 DECEMBER 2003 

A Christmas Message from the Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of
Colombo

The birth of Jesus occurred at a time of great political uncertainty and
religious intrigue. Palestine had been colonised by the Romans and the
Jews were once again a captive people. In these circumstances some
Jewish religious sects were vying for favour and power with their
oppressors and some others were planning to overthrow the Romans through
insurrection.

We keep Christmas under not quite different circumstances this year. The
serious tensions between political personalities and groups that have
caused uncertainty do little to ease the burdens of the people and
threaten whatever little stability remains. Growing religious discord,
manifested sadly through acts of violence against some Christian
communities have surprisingly not yet led to adequate measures of
protective and preventive action or denunciation by the State and other
Civil society groups.

Quality of our Relationships

At the first Christmas God made an unprecedented intervention on behalf
of all humankind by becoming a human. For this God was compelled to
abandon His legitimate divine status and privilege and become
vulnerable. In the form of the human Jesus, God lived amongst humans,
showed the way to right relationships and this way offered abundant
truth and life. In the face of opposition Jesus remained faithful and
died and rose from the dead to complete His task. In this unique life we
all receive abundant truth and life. The only requirement is however
that we must continue the intervention He initiated in the same spirit.
Consequently Christmas calls us to examine all relationships and to work
towards dignified, just, integrated human community for all. 

This call to reconciliation that Christmas highlights is then a call to
end enmity and strife. The Angels sang 'Peace on earth and good will to
all persons". The birth of the Saviour in a cattle shed amongst animals
and persons of different backgrounds, cultures, classes and aspirations
announced that God was playing a decisive part in a new intervention
towards a radical change in relationships. This intervention reminds us
that while our separate cultural identities matter, require repeated
re-definition and cannot be lightly dismissed, the test and quest of any
peace loving and dignified people must be our ability to be different,
talk about our differences and yet share and indeed celebrate a common
interactive and interdependent life.

The Church has through the years been called upon to practice and
proclaim this new intervention of God through Christ. "All this is from
God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the
ministry of Reconciliation ;" (2.Cor.5;11) 

Consequently I call upon all Christians to examine the quality of our
relationships and to relentlessly pursue trust and good will within the
Churches and with people of other faiths. The way we engage in mission
and witness in particular must come under the Judgement of Christ our
model in reconciliation. We know only too well how we have competed
against and hurt each other, lacked sensitivity by our neighbours of
other faiths, and dishonoured Christ. To co-operate with Christ as
agents of reconciliation requires us to be generous in our judgements,
forgiving in our disputes, self critical in our arrogance and endowed
with consistent loving kindness as agents of the gospel of
reconciliation. This is Christmas. 

Consensual Governance

I also call upon our political leaders to make a deliberate and visible
shift from enmity and strife and to ensure collaborative consensual
governance so urgent at this time in our history. Our leaders do not
have an option. They are elected to govern and provide economic
stability, political security and dignity and harmony for all our
people. With this in mind they must take on the role of national
catalysts. The people are tired of excuses and explanations and theories
of blaming and counter blaming. The plus point however is that the
present leadership does not lack the experience to do so. They need
however to be able to manage and monitor their respective constituencies
and their own political agendas and subject these to the mandate
received from the people. This is surely the test of political prowess
and maturity without which the people will languish and die. This is
also Christmas.

Inter-faith dialogue

I also call upon all people of all faiths and goodwill to discern right
from wrong and to live and spread trust and just, anti-violent life
styles. While recognising that Christians have made a valuable
contribution to the life of our nation, we must also acknowledge that we
have made serious mistakes and repeatedly hurt the sensitivities of our
brothers and sisters of other faiths and I regret this. But I must also
confess that I am deeply hurt that the violence against small vulnerable
Christian communities has gone on unabated and without protest and
denunciation from saner voices. No matter the cause of provocation, and
there must be some provocation, conversation and dialogue is the way to
deal with dispute. I consequently call upon all Christians to review our
activities and change those methods that dishonour Christ and that are
unnecessarily provocative. Some measures already taking effect in this
regard are most welcome and must continue. I also call upon all those
engaged in acts of counter violence to desist from the same and to
engage in dialogue. I call upon recognised leaders of all faiths to
speak and intervene on behalf of such a dialogue. All of us have a part
to play in such a dialogue. But please the aggression, violence and
intimidation from all sides must stop. This too is Christmas.

Sharing

And finally but by no means of least importance I call upon the
President, Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, the Leader of the
LTTE and leaders of all recognised political parties to give the highest
priority to the continuing travails of all our people, very specially
the poor and marginalized whom they must represent with compassion, and
to return with determination to the peace table. We give thanks to God
for the growth of a peace culture, regardless of its many set backs and
cynics. The momentum must not be hindered. Whether or not the Norwegians
return, peace in Sri Lanka is the task and business of all Sri Lankans.
The symbolism when Christians gather at Christ's peace table to restore
right relationships through participation in His death and resurrection,
offers passionate pointers for us all in this difficult task of peace
making. The one cup that is used signifies we are all equal before God.
The bread that is broken so that it may be shared signifies that no
matter how little each gets there is always enough for all. None goes
away empty. Similarly the task at hand for those who lead the peace
talks is to ensure just sharing simply because we are all equal.
Awareness of the presence and status of the other, the willingness to
give up something, however legitimate, so that another who lacks may now
have a little and a growing trust that we are on a common journey in
which we stand to enhance or destroy ourselves will no doubt create the
necessary political space for all. This too is Christmas.

The challenge of Christmas and our recurring human lapse and sin remind
us there is much to be done. In these tasks may the faithfulness and
responsibility of Joseph the Carpenter and Mary the young village woman,
the accommodating spirit of the Inn Keeper, the courage of the Wise
travellers, and the trust and expectation of the Shepherds be our
encouragement. But above all may the love of God in Jesus the Man for
others embrace us and lead us into ever widening circles of discernment,
humility and understanding this Christmas and always.

With peace and blessings to all.

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