The Greatest Event in Human History
The Birth of Christ the Lord
by Ed Rizkalla
“Jesus Christ our true Lord, who has come, for our salvation, was incarnate”
(An excerpt from the Coptic Orthodox hymn “Seven Times”)
“I=y=c P=,=c Pennou]@ pi`aly;inoc@ vy`etaf`i e;be pencw]@ afercwmatikoc”
“يسوع المسيح إلهنا الحقيقي الذي أتي من أجل خلاصنا متجسدا “
As the writer writes down these few lines, it is Advent season and Christians all over the world - depending on their denominational affiliations - will celebrate the birth of Christ the Lord on December 25, 2010 or January 7, 2011. The writer would like to extend his greetings and best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all the readers and their families.
Over the years the writer has been an avid reader of the newspapers’ comics, as they provided a source of some light-hearted moments. With early winter low temperatures and snow seeming to prevail in our neck of the woods, some people are wondering if this winter might end up being a repeat of last winter, a prospect that most find unappealing at best. With that in mind, the writer noted a recent cartoon by Nate Beelers about snow (1). Though funny the cartoon seems to drive home some truths about our oft misguided and/or misplaced concerns and priorities. The cartoon includes two panels, one of which depicts a newspaper man calling on the passersby using the latest headlines, with a copy showing “Metro Terror Plot” while the crowds pass by oblivious to the headlines; the other panel however shows him with a copy showing “Snow” and the crowd showing signs of panic.
A recent article by Bill O’Reilly (2) also seems to have further driven the point home about misplaced and/or misguided concerns this time of the year. The article describes how an atheist put a billboard outside the Lincoln Tunnel in New Jersey which reads: “You KNOW it’s a myth. This season, celebrate REASON!” O’Reilly responds “As a Christian, I don’t mind the winter solstice people doing whatever it is they do… Why resent the happiness of others, especially if no harm is being done? That is not reasonable.” He further notes “As far as Christmas is concerned, it benefits the individual citizen and the country in general to think of others. That is what Christmas is truly about.” This writer agrees to a large extent with O’Reilly’s article. To start with embracing “Reason” as contrasted with merely “celebrating” it, would necessitate a study and recognition of the facts. The birth and life of Jesus Christ on earth is a far from a myth, it is a historical fact recorded by several Roman historians from that era. Furthermore, this writer as well as Christians, all over the world at all ages, believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, was crucified, died, buried, on the third day arose from the dead, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.
To truly embrace “Reason” one will have to agree with the historical record about the birth and life of Jesus Christ on earth. A skeptic might find it difficult to believe Christ rising from the dead as it defies the common fate befalling all human existence, however the birth of Christ and his life on earth are historical facts. The early followers of Jesus, the Apostles in particular, saw the risen Christ and testified as eye-witnesses for His resurrection from the dead and subsequent rise to heaven. At Christ’s command the Apostles went preaching the good news of God’s love to all humanity and performing miracles such as healing the sick from diverse ailments and diseases. All of the twelve Apostles, with the exception of Saint John the Apostle, ended dying as martyrs testifying the truth of Christ rather than denying His resurrection. Is it not “reasonable” to expect that if these Apostles were propagating a hoax, as hardened as they might have been when faced with execution they would have preferred to confess their error and propagating a hoax, instead of dying to testify the truth of Christ and His resurrection? In fact, in our day and age, in the early years of the 21st century, many Christians are again facing persecution for their faith at many parts of the world, and tens of thousands of Christians have met with violent death in testimony of the truth of Christ the Lord (3). Furthermore, through the power of the name of Jesus Christ, the sick not only among Christians but also non-Christians, continue to receive miraculous healing from their ailments.
Over the past few decades the Christians of Egypt, the Copts, have been persecuted for their faith by militant Islamic groups and their sympathizers within the state of Egypt. The tempo of the persecution has been on the increase over the last few years. Most recently, the BBC television aired a new program showing some details of the persecution befalling the Copts for their faith (4). Regardless of the ongoing persecution of the Copts in Egypt, the writer in a visit many years ago has seen with his own eyes, how many Muslim women and men, though unbelievers in Christ as Lord and Savior continue to go to Coptic churches seeking and gaining healing from their ailments through the power of the name of Jesus Christ. Indeed “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” Heb 13.8.
The birth of Christ is the greatest event in recorded human history. It illustrates God’s love for all humanity. Jesus Christ came into the world for our salvation. As both the followers of Christ and the skeptics race against the clock to finish their shopping for gifts before Christmas, God in His grace continues to extend His hand to all peoples all over the world to give them the greatest gift ever, HIMSELF.
The peace of Christ the Lord be with you all. Irene Passe.
References:
(1) What freaks D.C., a cartoon by Nate Beelers, The Washington Examiner dated December 17, 2010
http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/nate-beelers-toons/2010/12/what-freaks-out-dc
(2) Anti-Christmas Scrooges miss the real reason for the season, by Bill O’Reilly, The Washington Examiner dated December 20, 2010, http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/2010/12/anti-christmas-scrooges-miss-real-reason-season
(3) Remembering the oppressed, by Ed Rizkalla, Coptic Assembly of America website, http://copticassembly.com/showart.php?main_id=3954
(4) BBC News Night about the Persecution of the Copts December 16, 2010, a video posted on Copts United of Great Britain web site dated December 17, 2010, http://www.unitedcopts.org/
Ed Riakalla is a management consultant and freelance writer. He is the founder of Pharos on the Potomac Group (POPG), a non-profit organization at Annandale, VA.