Let’s come out of Herod’s palace and follow the star . . .
Star has a central role in the story of Christmas as portrayed in the writing of Mathew. It is said to have guided magi to the manger. It is also portrayed as having waited patiently for the magi to come out of Herod’s palace in order to guide them to where they need to have gone.
Contemporary human knowledge attributes power with the ‘high and mighty’; revelation in God’s creation, as in the star, point the other way. It waits for the ‘wise’ men (sic!) to unlearn their folly and return back to an orientation that Power is and in the coming together of the vulnerable children, the nomads, the despised, single mothers, their allies, migrants, and all such of creation both in heaven and on earth.
Christmas, thus, poses a challenge both to the powerful that they are not invincible, and to those who need a deconstruction of their wisdom about Power – that it lies elsewhere and not where the world constructs it to be. The annual remembrance of the birth of Jesus (Christmas) calls us to take up the challenge to deconstruct our wisdom about power, and work on communities and all of creation – both in earth as also in the heavens – realise (their) Power.
It will be pertinent therefore for Christians to come out of the palaces of the powerful and follow the star; joining God’s movements of those alleged vulnerable, and also despised, whose joyful refrain echo the strains of everlasting songs of life-flourishing.
Merry Christmas! Come out, let’s follow the star! Let our year ahead be truly blessed!
Let’s have a Power Christmas . . . all year round.
Rev. Asir Ebenezer
General Secretary, NCCI
Followed by the movie Mr. Pradip Bansrior, Executive Secretary of Dalit and Tribal/Adivasi Concerns – NCCI highlighted the issues existing in the Indian society and about the invisible wall which is present in the Indian society in the form of caste system and its practices. In between, the Muslim friends offered the sunset prayer Namaaz commemorating the Holy month of Ramadan after which they break their fast with Iftar. Dr. Suresh Khairnar, National President of Rashtra Seva Dal, Nagpur shared and brought insights and his experiences which he had during his visit to the Gaza strip and Palestine. Dr. Khairnar in his address spoke extensively on the problems faced by the people living at the borders of Israel and Palestine and the key issues which are mutual recognition, borders, security, water rights, control of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, Palestinian freedom of movement, and the Palestinian right to return. Dr. Khairnar was eloquent in bringing out the how the world media is reluctant towards the problems faced by Palestinian. 
He appealed and encouraged the participants to read the book Good Muslim, Bad Muslim written by Mahmood Mamdani in order to understand the degree of suppression, distress and violence the people from the Muslim communities go through in their daily life.The program was concluded with the final remarks on standing together and striving for a justice oriented community and society by large was given by Rev. Kasta Dip, Director of India Peace Centre after which Mr. Rajesh Jadhav proposed a vote of thanks to all the delegates and the organizers of the program and proposed special thanks to Mr. Moses Gaur and Mr. Saurabh Khobragade. This was yet another opportunity wherein the National Council of Churches in India once again stood in strictly objecting the violation of human rights done by Israel in the case of Palestinian and affirming that it stands for peace, justice and love which Christ Jesus commands to share with every human being and the whole creation at large.
