Abu Dhabi: Christmas should be an occasion to uphold religious harmony in the interest of eternal peace and distance oneself from consumerism that dilutes the real spirit of the season, parish priests in the capital said.
“Christmas celebrations in the UAE are often influenced by consumerism as people spend a lot of money on the occasion. But everyone should remember that spending too much money takes away the spirit of Christmas,” Reverend Prakash Mathew, vicar of the Marthoma church in Mussaffah in Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News on Sunday.
This is an occasion to follow the principle “small is beautiful”, Rev Mathew said. “Don’t go for expensive gifts but small gifts that do not harm environment are enough to make people happy.”
It is not the money one spends but the quality time one spends with loved ones make for real joy, he added.
Reverend Andy Thompson, chaplain at St Andrews Church, said this Christmas should be an occasion to strengthen Christian–Muslim unity. “I think during this Christmas there is a particular need for Christians and Muslims to celebrate it together with the message of peace. We have to be united with the commonalities.”
Rev Thompson said that with the horrible turn of events in Iraq, Syria and Pakistan, Jesus’ message of peace is more relevant today just as Muslims remember Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) who stood for peace. Christians and Muslims can share the message of peace on this occasion, he added.
Reverend Cameron Arensen, senior pastor at the Evangelical Community church said Christmas is an occasion that reminds people to make peace with God. “If you make peace with God first, then there will be peace in the world.”
The real meaning of the season is celebrating Jesus’ message from his life, Rev Arensen said. “I think it is very important for Christians to be able to celebrate Christmas in a Muslim country. We are grateful to the UAE rulers to have that freedom for Christians to celebrate the season,” he said.
The Evangelical Community church will have a carol service in English on Monday evening. A special Christmas service was held last Friday with the presence of around 1,200 people of 60 nationalities, Rev Arensen said.
St Andrews Church in Abu Dhabi and St Andrews Church in Al Ain will both have midnight mass on Christmas eve. Around 25,000 worshippers of several other congregations will attend the Christmas services at the churches this week.
Senior chaplain of the Chaplaincy of Dubai and and Northern Emirates, Dr Ruwan Palapathwala, said: “The Christmas story about the birth of Jesus invites us to recognise that the ultimate source of hope is founded around the mystery that surrounds our lives: the love of God, which is gifted to us at Christmas so that we may come to emulate and exercise this love in our lives through understanding, forgiving, and accepting of one another and respecting every human being and God’s creation.”
