Christmas message can inspire revolution

In the silence of the night, an infant that would inspire, instruct, provoke and challenge the religious and secular authorities of his day and every generation thereafter was born.

No fanfare, no media announcement, no Facebook page or Instagram — not even ‘chai ya mtoto’.

Instead, the son of Mary secretly sneaked unannounced into the messiness of human existence and immersed himself in the lives of the lowly, the forgotten and the rejected.

There he found a home and gave meaning and hope to those who never get to share in the wealth and decision-making on this earth.

SHEPHERDS
It was not by chance that Jesus was born in destitution, far from home and in a stable because there was no welcome in Bethlehem for a woman about to deliver her first child.

Those chosen to be the first to hear of the birth were the despised, distrusted shepherds — the matatu touts of their day.

His option for the poor was palpable from day one.

As he launched his ministry 30 years later, Jesus announced that he had come to bring good news to the poor, to set captives and the downtrodden free, proclaiming a year of favour.

He lived a life of service and simplicity right up to his humiliation and rejection on the cross.

GOSPEL

His resurrection gave a whole new meaning to his teachings and became the inspiration for the movement that he started.

Two thousand years later, we have clothed Jesus in glory and sanitised his message.

The bold, compassionate, confrontational Son of Man has been tamed, frequently locked up in tabernacles far away from the mud and stench of the market place where he chose to hang out.

Instead of opting for the poor, most churches preach a prosperity gospel.

Jesus is the new witch doctor, they proclaim. Give tithe, get saved and get rich.

CHURCHES

A simple message that somehow does not explain why over half the population is still poor and yet churches are overflowing.

But it might explain how some church leaders amass wealth.

Politicians, too, have hijacked the Jesus project, attributing their success, mansions, helicopters and votes to their dependency on God.

It is fashionable to display your wealth and proclaim your faith.

A year of politics has left the nation divided and the poor disenchanted.

REVOLUTION

Christmas reminds us that while Jesus was born for all of us, he has particular mercy and love for the downcast and the downtrodden.

Put another way, he came to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. That is revolutionary.

Jesus knew that change would not come from the top.

It is only those who have endured hardship and exclusion that are really ready to embrace change in leadership and vision.

The status quo will resist change as the State is captive to cartels at national and county levels.

LEADERSHIP

Jesus preached revolution — of minds and hearts. That is the basis for structural and leadership transformation.

There are no saviours en route to save this country.

We are the ones we have been waiting for and God is on the side of the poor, not the powerful.

That is still the message coming from Bethlehem.

Peace to people of goodwill and Merry Christmas.

Fr Dolan is a Catholic priest based in Mombasa. [email protected] @GabrielDolan1