Christmas celebrations are cancelled, but not Christmas

What we see happening in Palestine today—displacement, ethnic cleansing, and genocide—pains our hearts and souls. What the world is going through—war, injustice, tyranny and the preference for individual interests over the collective interest—leaves us all in confusion, even dread of what is to come.

In light of these circumstances, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jordan and Palestine called for the cancellation of the festive events that usually accompany Christmas in the Middle East. We cannot celebrate while our countries are groaning under the fire of bombing, death, and displacement. We mourn the loss of fellow citizens, whether they are in Gaza or the West Bank. Celebrations are canceled because the Holy Land is desecrated by oppression, occupation, and injustice.   

The announcement by our church leaders received wide media coverage, locally and internationally. But I was astonished and discouraged to read the headline that appeared in many Arab and Western articles: “Christmas is cancelled in Bethlehem!” Although this sentence is powerful and directs the attention of the reader to the situation in Palestine, it reduces the meaning of Christmas to the celebrations that accompany the season. 

Therefore, I say: Celebrations are cancelled, but not Christmas. Christmas can never be canceled. For we do not want, especially in light of these tragic circumstances, to lose the message of Christmas. On the contrary, we want to remember and share its meaning and hope. 

Here are four reasons that call us to cling to the message of Christmas, especially in these dark days of our history. We share them with the world.

First, the church in Palestine and Jordan is not the product of missionary movements that came to us from the West. Rather, the church in the Middle East was birthed and is rooted in this land. The Christian message went out into the world from here, from Jerusalem. Our ancestors, the apostles, were the ones who carried the message of Christ to the world, fulfilling Jesus’ commandment before he ascended to heaven before their eyes, when he said, “And you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.” 

Second, in Christmas we hear God’s message, summed up in the name given to Jesus by the angel, “Emmanuel, which means God is with us.” God is with us in our joy and in our sorrow. God is with us in times of oppression. God is with us when wars prevail and there is no longer anything but the logic of force and tyranny. God is with us to accompany us while crossing the valley of tears and death and will continue to accompany us to experience joy, hope, and life. 

This message of Christmas is a source of strength for us. We will not forget it, even during times of war, even when we witness dead bodies being piled up and there is no one to help. This message of Christmas can be a source of strength for all while working toward better times. “Emmanuel, God is with us,” leading our way to live in freedom, peace and justice.  

Third, in Christmas we hear God’s promise of salvation. Salvation from evil and sin, yet at the same time a promise of salvation from injustice, despair, and death. A salvation that Jesus Christ himself declares at the beginning of his ministry: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. The Lord has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 

Our world today is in dire need to hear the angel’s Good News to the shepherds that carries within it a promise of joy and salvation for all. Therefore, today we repeat the angel’s assurance, “Do not be afraid; for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Fourth, in Christmas we hear a promise of peace and joy. Our hearts are tired and our eyes are exhausted from sadness, despair, and crying. There is no longer anything that brings joy in our hearts. We only see scenes of death, destruction, and displacement. We have lost hope in the peace that the international community promised repeatedly. In the midst of all of this, we must adhere to the message of Christmas, the message of the Child of Christmas who was incarnated to plant peace in the hearts of people first, so that this peace would then spread throughout the world. A peace that is not built on submission, but a peace that is founded on the principles of justice, equal rights, and the dignity.

In light of our sadness and solidarity with our fellow citizens, we cancel our celebrations. But for these reasons, Christmas is not canceled, for Christmas is God’s promise to all human beings, a promise of life, salvation, hope, and just peace.