I AM WHAT I THINK

This Christmas will be very challenging for many of us. Many friends have shared with me the impact that the global financial crisis is having on them, some of them have lost money in alternative financial schemes and still others are disturbed by the widespread crime and violence in the country.

Yes, we might have many challenges and we might be surrounded by a sea of uncertainty but let us use the opportunity that the holidays afford us to reach out to each other.

My favourite Christmas story

I once again share my favourite Christmas story with you. Forgive me if you have read it before, but it serves to remind us all of the essence of the holidays. Here is the story:

The entire village was busily preparing for Jesus' visit. The richest lady in the village was planning to put on a feast. She was very preoccupied with cleaning, painting and preparing for the feast. She heard a knock at her gate.

" That must be Jesus," she thought.

She ran to the gate but how disappointed she was. It was an old, man, dressed in tattered clothes. He asked for a glass of water. She was too busy for him.

"Get along with you," she urged him. He pleaded with her, "Please, could you give me something to eat." The lady was not touched. She chased the man away.

She returned to her chores and, shortly thereafter, there was a gentle knock on her gate.

"That must be Jesus," she whispered to herself.

She responded to the call. It was an old woman. Weak and sickly.

"A little bread, please," the old woman pleaded.

The lady did not flinch. "Jesus is coming to this village today. I am preparing for him. Do come back another day," she said. She returned to her house.

On a third occasion, she also turned away a poor, little girl.

Very tired, that night the lady fell asleep. She had a dream. Jesus appeared to her in that dream. "Jesus," she said, "you promised to visit our village this Christmas. We were busy preparing. But you did not show up."

Jesus replied, " Three times, I visited. Three Times you turned me away."

Prayer of St Francis

My dear friends, Jesus still visits us at Christmas. In spite of the difficulties we face, let us try to reach out to the sick, less fortunate and those in need. Let us remember those family members and friends with whom we have lost touch. Let us give greater meaning to these holidays by reaching out to everyone in our small way. Let us be guided this Christmas by the prayer of St Francis of Assisi:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

Dr Wendel Abel is a consultant psychiatrist and head, Section of Psychiatry, Dept. Of Community Health and Psychiatry, University of the West Indies; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.