Discovering the essence of Christmas through love, kindness, and compassion
Telegraph | 25 December 2025
For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a Child Himself — Charles Dickens
Every year, Christmas is celebrated by all sections of society. Many celebrate this sacred occasion, realising its significance. At the same time, it is important to remember that there is a large section that celebrates the occasion despite being oblivious of its implications.
For most, however, it is a season of joy and festivity, a time to share good tidings in simple traditional ways. Exchanging paper or digital e-cards, putting up simple decorations at home or office, attending midnight service, distributing surprises to children through Santa’s gifts, baking cakes, cookies and sharing them with friends and neighbours.
It is also a time to revive and share tales while enjoying the warmth of the fire during chilly winters. Christmas is a time of reunion with family members and friends, and sharing the simple pleasures of life.
Exchange of gifts is an integral part of the occasion. Gifts laced with heartfelt messages of love and warmth enhance the spirit of joy and festive bliss.
Living in an age of Artificial Intelligence, innovative digital exchange of greetings is the order of the day. Technology aids us in making our gifts and greetings uniquely personalised. The indulgence in such innovative technologies has enhanced the improvisations of communication, but it has also made the exchange of greetings more impersonal, mechanical.
Amid such changing circumstances of life, it is imperative to perceive the true essence of Christmas. As we celebrate Christmas, let us also remember to internalise the true spirit of the season: love, kindness, sharing, caring and connecting with all sections of society. Going beyond everything, it is imperative to understand that the two most striking messages or the foundations of Christmas are Peace and Joy.
The Bible speaks of the angels, the heavenly messengers, who sang of “Peace to men and women of goodwill”. Peace does not mean absence of conflict or suffering or disappearance of tragic situations.
This Peace is not the enigmatic silence of the cemetery but the concord of harmony in real life, amid all difficulties and troubles. It is the ability to walk through struggles and arrive at that inner calmness of the mind. This Peace is in those who tread the divine path, who are faithful and committed to the Almighty, who seek to establish peace in all walks of life.
The other core gift and message of Christmas is perhaps the bliss of Joy. It is the spiritual and transforming gift which was proclaimed to the simple and outcast shepherds by God’s messengers of good news, the angels, who proclaimed: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people (Luke 2:10).”
Joy emerges because the sadness of sin and death are gone, and finally, the Light and Life of the Saviour are here, triumphing over all the darkness, opening our eyes to see the helpless others.
Joy because God has transformed us to care and share with those who have very little or nothing, or those who are helpless. Joy from sharing, by doing loving things for others, not just for those who love us, but for the deprived and marginalised. It is a clarion call to reach out to those who have nothing to celebrate, nothing to share except poverty, despondency and distressed circumstances. Season of Joy will be really effective when we seek out and touch a person who has lost hope in life, who is in a desperate situation.
In the cold winter of hopelessness, a smile awakened will usher in the loving warmth of the yuletide season. It will indeed be a real joy when we can reach out to a long-forgotten or forsaken friend and wish him “A Very Happy Christmas” and also “A Very Happy New Year”.
Today more than ever, God needs to be born in our hearts, in our lives and in our world in these ways. Our world is darkened by very strong egocentricity, pride, suffering and war. We need God to reconcile us with God and with one another, to establish peace, joy and harmony.
Both Peace and Joy are challenging messages and gifts, because we need to change our own lives and transform ourselves into the likeness of God.
We look at one great light of God who lived and walked among us, showering Peace and Joy, making visible for all to see. Our very own Mother Teresa, who said: “It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you. Yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brothers and sisters and offer them your hand. It is not how much you do, but how much love you put in what you do to bring peace and joy to others.”
For our inspiration, we can rekindle the message of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, a novella about the redemption of Scrooge, a wealthy but bitter, miserly and hateful man who despises Christmas, refuses to donate to charity, or celebrate Christmas with his nephew.
The story of the transformation of Scrooge from a miserly, cold-hearted man to a compassionate person is remarkable. The change of Scrooge is catalysed by the visits of the three Christmas spirits (Past, Present, Future) who virtually coerce him to confront his self-centred past.
The encounters enable him to empathise with the plight of others and ultimately embrace the path of love, charity and altruism. Waking up on Christmas Day, he is a changed man, full of joy and big-hearted. He not only buys the Cratchits the prize turkey but also embodies the spirit of Christmas by his warmth for Tiny Tim and apologises to his nephew. He treats Tiny Tim as his own child and for the rest of his life provides for the penury-stricken, treating all people with kindness, generosity and warmth.
Inspired by Mother Teresa and the fictional creation of Charles Dickens, let us do our best to bring a smile to the broken-hearted and those in desperate situations. By extending a helping hand, let us transform this world, bringing joy, peace and love not only in their lives, but enhancing peace, love and joy in this world.
WISH YOU ALL A HOLY AND HAPPY CHRISTMAS FILLED WITH PEACE AND JOY!
Rev Fr Dr Dominic Savio is the principal of St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Kolkata