The most famous editorials and columns are not about wars and disasters, but about Christmas, I have been told. If that is not quite true, there may be something to it and it may be a wish, too, because the universal message of love of fellow human beings, and the new covenant of God being kind and forgiving, is the key Christmas message. But God’s message and promise must be implemented by human beings. God uses us ordinary people, and sometimes extraordinary people, to implement his message and promise. Jesus was one such ordinary messenger and servant of God. Christians call him the Son of God that, according to Jesus himself, should be used for people, who work to create peace. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the most prominent messenger and prophet in Islam, and needless to say, of course, in the Muslim country of Pakistan. He reminded us of giving room for believers of other faiths.
Back to Christmas the editorials that I mentioned initially. In the 1880s and 1890s, newspapers gained wide circulation in the ‘new world’, notably America, and also in Europe. Most people could read and many developed a liberal and outward looking mindset, not least because of the huge emigration from Europe to America. Many of the old ways and whims were questioned. Yet, values and traditions were also cherished, not least those related to religion. People wanted to keep their religious beliefs also in the ‘new world’, where everything else was changeable and possible. Some had emigrated from Europe because of greater religious freedom in America. In a world full of change people wanted something steadfast and eternal, and something to guard them from the secular influences and the strong focus on economic development in the new land.
A newspaper reader named Dr J.M. Buckley wrote a comment to the famous editorial, “A Christmas Sermon”, by Robert R. Ingersoll in the New York paper “The Evening Telegram” on December 19, 1891. Till this day, the editorial and the comment remain famous, perhaps, only to be overtaken by messages on twitter and other social media in our time - I suppose! Dr Buckley’s message comes at the end of the little article and it is as much to people in our time as it was over a 100 years ago: work less and play more! “We are too much like the English,” Dr Buckley says. He goes on to endorse the renowned German writer Heinrich Heine, who said that he thought God would like the more light-hearted French than the praying English.
Dr Buckley then concluded: “Christmas is a good day to forgive and forget - a good day to throw away prejudices and hatreds - a good day to fill your heart and your house, and the hearts and houses of others, with sunshine.” The latter was, probably, stated with reference to the fact that Christmas was originally a pagan sun feast, when light triumphed over darkness. This gives Christmas a universal and timeless meaning to all, regardless of faith.
Christmas is less about faith and more about spirituality and doing good, as the main feasts in all religions are. The tradition of Christmas gifts is relatively new and, perhaps, given too much focus in our secular and commercial days. But the thought behind gift-giving is acceptable to all of us. We should underline that most religions have two basic principles: to follow God’s word and, equally important, do good to fellow human beings. The Bible and the Quran underline these principles clearly: without good deeds, we don’t honour our belief in God.
If Christmas can be a time when we reflect on what we are doing as human beings in the world we live in, and if we can also get an opportunity to quiet down and listen to God’s voice within ourselves, then the festival becomes what it is meant to be. Christmas is a time when we should unburden our souls and lighten our hearts. I have a friend, who keeps reminding me that to be able to grow in faith and deeds we must all listen to our inner voice.
Dr Buckley in his article was right: we must work less and find time to reflect, and we must find time to be joyous and cultivate positive relations with fellow human beings. And we must care for the needy. Through that we will actively pursue God’s will, and we will also find the best values within ourselves. In return, we will receive kindness from our family and friends and everyone we deal with. “It is in giving we receive,” St Francis of Assisi said hundreds of years ago.
Over 150 years ago, the Danish writer H.C. Andersen (1805-1875) wrote the famous story, entitled “The Little Match Girl”, which illustrates the Christmas message so clearly. The story is about a poor girl, who sold matches to help her father make ends meet. This was child labour, which only became banned several decades later, in the class-divided and poor land of Denmark and the rest of Europe of that time. In the story, the poor girl had not sold a single matchbox on the mid-winter and snowy day. But she could not go home because her father would punish her if she came without money. Besides, the ramshackle house where she lived was cold and drafty. She had lost the slippers she wore as a carriage and horse had sped away when she had crossed the street. She felt utterly miserable, not least when she peeped through the windows in the affluent houses along the street, where there were parties, delicious food, Christmas decorations, bright light and warmth.
The little match girl sat down in a corner outside one of the houses where the wind was less chilly. She decided to light a match to try to warm her frozen fingers, and another, and another one. She dreamed of her dead mother and grandmother, the only persons who had ever loved her. She dreamed of food and warmth, of light and glitter. She lighted all the matches she had in all the matchboxes. And then, it was again bitterly cold. The girl closed her eyes and fell asleep. She never woke up again in this world.
The next morning when the fine people passed by, many on their way to church, they saw the little girl, who had frozen to death. They felt sorry for her, but they had done nothing to help her or other poor children the day before. Besides, they had no time to pause, to change their lifestyle and their thinking. Nor did they know the fantastic things the girl had seen in her dreams and hallucination in her last time on this earth. She had seen the good things that all children and human beings should have. Now she is in heaven!
“The Little Match Girl” by Andersen is a great story to read at every Christmas, yes, every day. Without a single word about Christianity or Islam, it underlines the principles that we must all aspire to live by. The story has as much wisdom for adults as it has for children - and it is not only the children, but also the parents who will shed a few tears when reading it. The difference may be that children instantly know that the principles of fairness and sharing are the God-given principles we should all live by. But children don’t have the power to enact what they all know in their hearts to be right. It is when we become adults and have the power to change the world, that we forget it and become selfish.
May God this Christmas make us all see what Andersen told us in his story - and what Dr Bucley wrote about in his article. May we in our homes and neighbourhoods, in our workplaces and communities, provinces and country, do our utmost to make the world a better place for all human beings, especially the children and those who cannot fend for themselves. God is love, peace, unity and equality. But has given us human beings the task of trying to implement his will so that every day can be as Christmas is meant to be. Do we listen to God’s message in the holy books and in our hearts?
Merry Christmas, dear reader!

n    The writer is a senior Norwegian social scientist with experience from research, diplomacy and development aid.
    Email: atlehetland@yahoo.com