By Mwongyera Eustachio
Book Writer, and Environmental Activist
Christmas is the time we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Jesus represents peace and harmony in a world that is full of mischief. As Christmas is around the corner, the whole world is in a celebratory mood as we prepare to celebrate the birth of a savior. In a nutshell, Christmas is a time when we should renew our faith and relationship with God. Jesus should be born in our hearts.
Baby Jesus symbolizes the genesis of true peace and love. To my surprise, the world at this momentous epoch is full of anti-Christ behavior in the form of all sorts of evil. There is too much hatred, selfishness, ego, hypocrisy, and brutality to mention but a few.
The disastrous effects of climate change paint an intricate picture of how far man has been unfair to Mother Nature. Unfortunately, the world’s strongest humanitarian organizations such as the UN have continually paid a deaf ear to the root causes of man’s moral decay, environmental degradation, and crimes against humanity among others. They have instead treated the effects of moral decay and inhumanity rather than the causes!
Man is born religious. That’s why he sometimes asks himself,” how did I come into existence? What is my purpose here on earth?” Whenever he looks at God’s wonderful creation, he is left profusely baffled and at the same time amazed. All in all, man can always find all the answers in God, the creator, the omniscient, and the omnipotent.
Today, evil seems to have conquered the world. There are many conflicts in the world leading to bloodshed of poor and innocent people of God. Take a look at what is happening in Somalia, Congo, Gaza, and Ukraine! International organizations have tried to restore peace but in vain.
Religious leaders globally irrespective of their religious denominations have a big role to play towards restoration of peace and harmony in the world. They represent God’s power and authority. They are supposed to exercise true guidance, love, and peace. They are supposed to cultivate virtues of love, integrity, and perseverance.
To my observation, religious leaders have multiplied in number but lost some sense of direction. Politics has entered into and affected religion. Some self-proclaimed religious leaders have acted contrary to their virtues. They are instead corrupted by the lust for material pleasures and money.
They have turned into religious hypocrites. They lack the will, commitment, and charisma needed to execute God’s work. Given such a situation, who will guide who? Who will lead who? The world has gone berserk and needs God’s immediate intervention.
My plea is that religious leaders should stand firm and work with political leaders to restore sanity in the world. As Christmas draws nearer, let us create a room in our hearts where Jesus shall be born. Don’t let Jesus be born in a manger full of wolves like in Gaza or Ukraine. Don’t let Jesus be born in hearts full of all sorts of evil and mischief.
As I conclude, I call upon all religious leaders across the globe to rise up and work with political leaders worldwide to create a platform that calls for the restoration of world peace and harmony. Let there be dialogue that calls for cease-fire and reconciliation! We are tired of shedding the blood of innocent people.
That done, Mother Mary will deliver baby Jesus into our holy hearts and peaceful homes. Let us repent our sins and cleanse our hearts as we prepare for the birth of Jesus this year. I wish you all a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year!
