THIS HAPPENED ON BOXING DAY

GOD IS LIGHT 

The scripture says: "Now the message that we have heard from his Son and announce is this: God is light, and there is no darkness at all in him. If, then, we say that we have fellowship with him, yet at the same time live in the darkness, we are lying both in our words and in our actions." ( 1 John 1:5-6) 

ORIGINAL BOXING DAY 

Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated the day after Christmas Day, thus being the second day of Christmastide. It originated in the United Kingdom in 1663 and is celebrated in a number of countries that previously formed part of the British Empire. Boxing Day is on December 26, although the attached bank holiday or public holiday may take place either on that day or one or two days later - if December 26 is a Sunday.

Boxing day, which is concurrent with Saint Stephen's Day, is also called Offering Day. Traditionally, it is a day on which the rich would give boxes filled with small gifts, money and Christmas leftovers to their employees to recognize their service. Likewise, the churches also put out boxes for people to give money to the poor, and the money was distributed the day after Christmas day.   

 BOXING DAY TODAY  

However,  today there is a different insight into, and dimensions of, what is known as Boxing day. 

Firstly, it is a day when people are cleaning up the dirts and leftovers from the feasting of Christmas day. This also includes the cleaning, arranging and packing of clothes and other materials used on Christmas day into boxes and stores. 

Secondly, Boxing Day today is a day when many people are battling with the hangovers  of the Christmas day feasting -   drunkenness and tiredness. Some are vomiting, some are constipated, while some are suffering from diarrhea.  Still, others are struggling to eat or even to stand up, with much difficulty. Regretfully, some people are struggling with pain of injuries caused by accidents or violence. 

Thirdly, Boxing Day is a day when some people are fighting or separating fights between spouses, friends and lovers, caused by infidelities or suspicions of infidelity exposed on Christmas day. 

Finally, and worst of all, many people are battling on Boxing Day with the guilt of their consciences as Christians. In the name of celebrating Christmas they indulged themselves in various acts of immorality and sinned against their own bodies. Such acts may include drunkenness, squandering, adultery, fornication,  insulting others, violence, negligence, cheating and even theft  - to cover Christmas expenses. 

THE TEMPLE OF GOD 

But the Word of God says: "Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God; he bought you for a price. So use your bodies for God's glory." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) 

Now, meditating on this scripture, and considering what happened on Boxing Day,  there is the question: "Where is the Christ who came into your house on Christmas day (Revelation 3:20)? Did you welcome him? Did you eat with him? And did he eat with you? Where did you keep him?  In other words, did you "box" Christ  in or out of your house  -  your marriage, family, job, business, plans, future, life and destiny? 

 YOU "BOXED" HIM IN  

If you "boxed" him in, that was great - congratulations! For the scripture says: "My devotion to your Temple burns in me like a fire;  the insults which are hurled at you fall on me". (Psalm 69:9). 

So, indeed, you actually celebrated Christmas if all the insults, mockeries and pressures  from friends, neighbors, colleagues and acquaintances did not cause you to compromise your love for Christ - by defiling his holy temple, which is your body and your life. Instead,  for the love of Christ, you accepted all the insults to fall on you. And for this reason, your joy and fulfillment in Christ will remain perfect and remain permant. Now watch out: those who despised and insulted you for the sake of Christ will soon be hiding away from you, in shame and disgrace - while the glory of God will be covering you.

 GIVE HIM YOUR KEYS 

However, to secure the presence of Christ in your house forever, you need to do something more. This is simple  - lock your door and give Jesus they keys to your house, life,  future and destiny. 

Thus, the scripture says: “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: “This is the message from the one who is holy and true. He has the key that belonged to David, and when he opens a door, no one can close it, and when he closes it, no one can open it." (Revelation 3:7).  

And it is also written: "I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for. Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will answer you. You will seek me, and you will find me because you will seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

And to conclude, Christ said it himself:  “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me."' (John 24:6) Thus, with your keys in the hands of Jesus no demon will enter your house, and any door you knock will automatically open to you, because Christ himself is the architect of your plans and the way to your fulfillment in life. 

YOU "BOXED" HIM OUT  

CHRIST IS LEAVING, BUT KEEPS LOOKING BACK, BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH 

If Christ left your house on Boxing Day, it's because you "boxed" him out on Christmas day. You did not allow the insults, mockeries and pressure of the world to fall on you. Instead, you were ashamed of Christ being in your - and so you displeased him in order to please your friends, neighbors, colleagues and acquaintance. 

This is regrettable and the fault is all yours; for the scriptures say: "So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to—the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires. Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self, which is created in God's likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy." (Ephesians 4:22-24)

So, you woke up on Boxing Day, after all the feasting - eating, drinking, dancing, sexual pleasures, and more; there was no peace and no satisfaction. And you asked yourself: where is the Christ who was born just on Christmas day? He has left, and gone ! Then you remembered what the scripture says: "And do not make God's Holy Spirit sad; for the Spirit is God's mark of ownership on you, a guarantee that the Day will come when God will set you free" (Ephesians 4:30). 

This is why the world - your friends, neighbors and colleagues - are now mocking at you; even in your presence. They say "So you - reverend father, virgin Mary, pastor, child of God - also drink and get drunk, you chase women and go to night clubs. You have been deceiving us, hypocrites! 

CATCH UP TO HIM

It's a pity, that Christ left your house because you boxed him out. But you can still catch up to him - he hasn't gone too far. He's going but keeps looking behind because he loves you, so much. 

And the way to catch up to him is to go to confession and repent. So the scripture says:  "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us. But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing. (1 John 1:8-9). 

By the same confession, and in addition to the forgiveness of your sins, you will also receive the graces to overcome temptations, and to live a holy life. This is what the scripture means, where it is written: "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

 DO IT TODAY 

Now do not postpone your confession and repentance for next year. As some will say, "let me just enjoy the new year feast, and after that I will change my life". That is a trap! Do you want to give Satan an opportunity to imprison you in  sin?  The scriptures say: "Don't give the Devil a chance" (Ephesians 4:27) 

So if you wait January 2, 2022, it may  be too late for you to catch up to the Christ who just left your house on Boxing Day. This is why the priests in the parishes are making themselves more available to hear your confessions, and absolve you of your sins (John 20:21-23), before the year ends on December 31, 2021. 

May your joy and blessings in Christ Jesus increase and multiply in the year 2022.  AMEN 

Author: Aying Godman is a Catechist, Evangelist & Writer of the Roman Catholic Church in Cameroon. Email: ayinggodman@gmail.com 

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