Hark! The herald-angels sing, Glory to the new-born King; Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness!’
Dear citizens of Hong Kong,
Hearing this famous carol, we know for certain that Christmas has come. You may have heard it in church, or more commonly these days, when you are walking through a shopping mall. Even if you are not a Christian, you would still have heard the good news: ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem’, the Word of God has become flesh, and he has come to bring light and life to all. But such good news is not the only thing we have heard in these recent months. Hatred, war, and death. Before the Christmas carols began playing, what we heard was the war between Russia and Ukraine, and tragic bloodshed in the Holy Land. Where, we ask, is the Prince of Peace, in this world of conflict?
The answer is given to us in Christmas, because Christ was born for one important mission: to see that God and humanity are reconciled. Why do we wage war, but because of our greed for other’s resources, and our lust for power? Why are we eager to punish others, but because of our wrath? Even now, we have people wasting food at the most expensive Christmas dinner you can buy, when in the next street, a homeless person is finding something to eat from the leftovers inside a fast food restaurant – what is this, but a feast of tragedy? The tragic news that we saw in 2023 were all grown from the same seed of sin, from which has sprung a tree of conflicts. And because sin is the darkness that covers God’s light, it is no wonder why so many people cannot see the road in front of them. Many have fallen into a slothful life of ‘lying flat’, and some of our Hong Kong young people even took their lives, because the light of hope and life is now covered up: by humanity’s choice for sinful darkness.
But – even though this world is full of sin, we also have the power to choose the path of righteousness, and the best example is given to us in Jesus Christ. Out of darkness, a light arose, and he is the Sun of Righteousness. Instead of forever remembering other’s faults out of envy, we are to forgive and accept with kindness. Instead of immediately condemning others out of wrath, we are to listen with patience. Instead of being proud of ourselves, we are to humble ourselves. The birth of Christ was in fact the ultimate act of humility: he is the Son of God, and yet he was born in the lowly stable. He was no stranger to worldly conflicts, having to flee with his family from the soldiers of Herod right after his birth, like many people still do today in war-torn countries. Yet he still grew up to preach the message of peace, showing us that it is by forgiving, reconciling, and serving, that we can right the wrongs of this world.
When we see Hong Kong teenagers imprisoned due to a lapse of judgement, or the many homeless, or the growing number of elderly forced into loneliness due to social changes and the emigration wave, what we ought to learn and do is: to forgive those who have wronged us, bringing the gift of reconciliation to them and to our society; to walk humbly with those in need, reaching out to them before they ask, showing them that there is still love in this world. The darker the world becomes, the brighter we ought to shine!
This Christmas, let us all choose the goodness that Christ has taught us. The Word became Flesh, and he has come to dwell with us. Peace would be the news heard all over the world, if we allow him to be born again in our world and in our hearts. This Christmas, as we echo the angels’ song, singing ‘Glory to the new-born King,’ let us echo likewise his royal mission of peace.
I wish you a merry Christmas.
+ + Andrew Chan
