Christmas Message Holds True

A Christmas and New Year Message from Kamran Mofid*

This is the time of the year, when we need to stand back and ask:

“What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.”

Let us see where we stand. The clouds of destruction are gathering all over the world. The world today is facing a multitude of crises in politics, economics, finance, banking, energy, food, environment and education, amongst others, simultaneously, resulting in much uncertainty, fear and anxiety. Moreover, the rapid and unsustainable rise in consumerism and materialism, financed by debt has seriously destroyed the fabric of society, and has catastrophically weakened the ethical, moral and spiritual dimensions of our communities. It seems, there is little, but, “shop till you drop” left to bind us together. In short, the world is facing a crisis of values.

There is acute suffering in the world, starvation, untreated disease, and much war.  Also there are so many wandering in darkness while hungering for hope. In such a world let us go about giving love, compassion, kindness and generosity to all. Let us serve the poor and broken ones, serve our brothers and sisters, and serve birds and beasts and all creation in whom dwells the breath of life. A life so lived, is serving the essence of the common good. Moreover, let us not waste energy in obtuse and arcane questions and controversies; countless theories about who is right and who is wrong. Instead, let us light a few candles at the altar of a suffering humanity. We must come to that altar properly prepared, in a spirit of right understanding that all mankind is one. We are all each others’ keepers.