Hetoimasia: The Triumphant Lord Returns

  •   Sat, Dec 24 2022
  •   By Dr P G Aquinas

December 24, 2022

The world is geared up to kindle the Christmas spirit that is in the air. We carry memories of previous Christmases especially form our home town Mangalore that is considered as the Rome of the East. The celebrations give us the opportunity to be resourceful make comparison of Christmas celebrations in other parts country or the years that have gone by.

Whatever we might do, Christmas celebrations will include “the Santa Parade” the decorated Christmas tree, the Star and the Souvenirs we wish to give others. Not to mention the selfi’s taken with Santa, The Christmas tree or the Star as a part of the celebration.

With the onset of the Christmas season, there is hope in the air. There is expectation and joy in everyone’s heart but at the same time there is a little trepidation. Will this hope bring real happiness? Is it only external? When will we have real joy and happiness?

In the words of Jonathan Lockwood Huie we should celebrate endings because they precede new beginnings. A truly memories Christmas must bring in a new beginning, a new hope, a new dream of a more content living.

The first step invariably has a mixed feeling of excitement and apprehension of what the future may hold. The first day at school for a child, the first day of marriage for the young lovers, the first day at an old age home. They are really the beginning of a new life itself.

As humans, we have a problem with taking the plunge. We have an inertia to take the proper plunge to have a firm commitment. Martin Luther King Jr says “Take the first step in faith”. When we take the first step in celebrating Christmas, we need to introspect bring the Apostle of peace into our heart. Experience the ultimate of bringing the teachings of the Lord into our lives.

The early Christians did not celebrate the Lord’s birth. For them “giving up one’s self and to think of others was the true meaning of Christmas”. Christmas need synergy, a common desire of humanity and an equitable distribution of joy and happiness. It recognises that Christ will come after he prepared a place for us. We need to be ready when he comes. We need to have the ability to pursue these objectives of having a valid purpose to meet the Lord. We need to focus on our vision of accepting the spirit of the Lord with exerting our vision and responsibility of the greater good of humanity. Psalm 9:7-8 says “The Lord sits enthroned for ever, he has established his throne for judgement; and he judges the world with righteousness, He judges the people with equity”.

Christmas should look forward to the Lord’s coming again. We need to have the confidence that ultimately we have to scale the peak we have set out to conquer. We have the inertia to take the plunge. We want to see the end in the beginning itself. You’ve to see the whole staircase. Take the first step, the next step will become clearer to you. Each one of us is a unique individual with unique life style and therefore, what impresses us is also unique. When we are hungry for something say economic growth, increased income, leadership position, power, we gobble up everything to achieve it. The question of achievement will have a different answer depending on what we want to achieve. What we need to understand is that achievement is not relative, it is absolute for that person.

We need to live the life that God has given us. It is necessary to understand we are not what we were yesterday. We are dynamic, we change by our experience, our relationship with others is very dynamic. Every Christmas should be a new beginning. We should keep ourselves and our lives alive by treating each new beginning, by turning a new leaf and looking forward to a more compassionate life. We should being a position to graduate from a focus limited to ourselves, our family to exercising a vision of responsibility to our fellow humans without any distinction. We must believe and recognise that Christ has gone to prepare a place for us, He will return one day and we must be ready when he comes. Hetoimasia is “preparation” for this second coming. That is the truth that we must face. In the words of Seneca “Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings’ end”. Can we make a new beginning by shunting jealousy, hatred, pride, arrogance and revenge? It is only then that Christmas will have meaning in our lives. It will be a mantle for a new beginning, a new hope, a new dream as we wait for the second coming of Christ and truly say Glory to God in the highest and peace to men and women of goodwill, who strive to reduce the negatives in our day to day living and remembering that Goodness of humanity will have a great impact on meaningful living and peaceful and serenity of our existence.
By Dr P G Aquinas
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Comment on this article

  • Chidanand Dhavaleshwar, BELAGAVI

    Mon, Dec 26 2022

    Dear, sir. Every line of this article is meaningful, I read it twice. Your views enlightened me regarding the celebration of Christmas. It's a new beginning for me to understand the humanitarian approach and spread love among all of Christianity. Sir, the line can we make a new beginning by shunting jealousy, hatred, pride, arrogance, and revenge? Touched my heart. Thank you so much for every word.

  • Vinay, Mangalore

    Sat, Dec 24 2022

    Beautifully articulated.

  • Dr. Kumara, Ballari

    Sat, Dec 24 2022

    Good narration sir. Happy Mary Christmas 🎄


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