The English term Christmas is "Mass on Christ's day," a much-awaited Christian festival, which will be celebrated as the birth of Jesus on December 25. It is Feliz Natal in Portuguese, Navidad in Spanish, Natale in Italian, and Noël in French. It all starts with attending midnight Mass with Hark the Herald on the eve. A much awaited traditional time for family get-togethers, dressing the house with decorations, fairy lights, and a twinkling star. On the flip side of these joyous moments, let's move our hearts towards those Christians preparing for Christmas in war zones. Yes, there is no doubt that they will also celebrate, but in a shade of sadness and hardship. As history speaks, a spontaneous cease-fire between British and German soldiers on Christmas Eve, 1914, during World War I, where soldiers sang carols, exchanged gifts, and held joint services to grace "Christ is Born." Imagine Christmas in Jerusalem and eastern Ukraine; despite air raid sirens and artillery shelling, children fearlessly participate in Christmas events. This Christmas, let's not only celebrate in praise but also pray for those unfortunate to have a better Natal the following year.
