2905 South Frontage Rd Plant City, FL 33566

A message from:

Rev. Fr. Anthony Thekkanath VC
Center Director

When We Celebrate Christmas

This is the time of celebration, celebrating the birth of Jesus who was born “…in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Lk. 2, 11). In fact, it was a matter of “great joy for all the people” (Lk. 2, 10); however, many could not experience this great joy. One of the reasons, I think, is the human tendency to look into the limitations of others. If a person looks into the mistakes or limitations of others he cannot love them because those mistakes or limitations will generate negative feelings.  The more we focus on the failures of others the more we keep distance from them. 

What we learn from the life of Jesus is a positive approach to people. He did not focus on the failures of people, rather he helped them to overcome those problems. Even when a sinner was brought to him (Jn. 8, 1-11) despite the peoples’ condemnations against her who focused only on her evil ways, Jesus, on the other hand, neither said a word against her nor focused on her past but gently instructed her “… from now on do not sin again” (v. 11). The same with the story of Zacchaeus (Lk. 19, 1-10).  People considered and accused him as a sinner while Jesus went to his house, dined with him and publicly announced: “… Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is son of Abraham” (v. 10).  Through these and other incidents in the gospels Jesus indirectly teaches us that we should not focus on the faults of others.

Jesus knew that only by loving others, not by probing into their faults, their wounds will be healed; only then we will be able to accept them as they are. A step further, by loving others our inner wounds will also be healed, because when we focus their mistakes our hearts will be filled with negative feelings which in their course will disturb our inner being; whereas love, being positive, will create positive effects. By loving we help others to heal their inner wounds. 

In the third chapter of Acts of the Apostles we read Peter heals a crippled beggar. In this healing miracle there is something interesting. In the fourth verse we read: “Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said: “Look at us”. Literally it means Peter is asking the beggar’s attention; but there is something implicit in it: the beggar being crippled might be focusing on his own limitations which might lead him to inferiority feeling. Focusing on the limitations of others or of oneself it won’t help anyone in anyway. Here, St. Peter indirectly teaches everyone who focuses on limitations of oneself or of others that one should look up to Jesus who alone will be able to eradicate the limitations. Peter has no power of his own, but he was filled with Jesus. That is why he said: “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk” (v. 6). Hence, we reasonably conclude that everyone who is filled with Jesus will be able to overcome one’s own limitations and can help others to overcome their limitations as well.

Let us earnestly desire to be filled with Jesus during this Christmas season. This is my wish and desire for everyone: be filled with Jesus!