In my capacity of Chief Operating of the Co-operative Credit Union League of Trinidad and Tobago, I take pleasure in bringing Seasons Greetings and best wishes for a Blessed New Year to our 515,000 members and the National Community. This, with the hope that we will all keep uppermost in our minds the true meaning of Christmas.
The significance of Christmas is known to men, all over the world. Though it is true that Christmas is celebrated as the Birth of Christ into this world, it also symbolizes a very deep significant truth of the spiritual life. Jesus Christ is the very personification of Divinity. He was born at a time when ignorance, hatred and hypocrisy prevailed upon the land.. wholesomeness was forgotten and moral values were low.
In the midst of these conditions, Christ was born and He worked a transformation in the lives of people. He gave a new and a spiritual turn to the lives of man. There came a change upon the land. People started upon a new way of life. Thus a new era dawned for the world.
In that period the seeker had no thought of God or higher spiritual life. He lived a life of lust, anger, greed, deluded attachment, pride and jealousy. If the seeker must enter into a new life of spiritual aspiration, purity and devotion, then the Christ-spirit must take its birth within his heart. That is the real Christmas when the Divine element begins to express itself in the heart of the man. From then onward, light begins to shine where darkness was before.
A very small, but very beautiful, point of deep significance is attached to Christmas. It is the time and the manner of the birth of the Lord upon the holy Christmas day. Jesus Christ was not born in a grand palace. He was not born to very wealthy or learned parents. Jesus Christ was born in a simple lowly place, a corner of a stable. He was born to humble and poor parents, who had nothing to boast about, except their own spotless character and holiness.
The above point of deep significance tells that the spiritual awakening comes to the seeker, who is perfectly humble and "meek" and "poor in spirit." The quality of true humility is one of the indispensable fundamentals. Then we find simplicity, holiness and the renunciation of all desire for worldly wealth and pride of learning.
It is important to mirror the lifestyle of Christ and to love each other as we love ourselves. Love must be shown always, not only at Christmas, Birthdays or Anniversaries. We should not wait for special occasions to say to our fellowman how much we love them. We may never get the opportunity.
A perfect example is the child, mother, father, brother or friend who did not take the opportunity for one moment to express how much they appreciated or love the other. Upon death, the eulogy is lengthy and words of love permeated the atmosphere. All this time, the person to whom the love words were directed, could not hear, smile or acknowledge. What a pity!
Be encouraged to say ‘I love you” to those you love, before it is too late. Let them hear, smile and acknowledge our words now.
Taken literally, sometimes we provide all the ‘goodies’ to those we love, but the yearning in that person’s heart is to hear us say ‘thank you, I love you, you are my friend and/or counsellor’. Do we sit back and think about it? Be encouraged now and move into 2014 with a spirit of love and unity.
Once again, to all my members, stakeholders and friends, Happy Holidays and a Blessed New Year. You have contributed tremendously to the success of my work and the ability to lead the League successfully. You are my inspiration and I commit to continue to seek the best for you and your families.
Let us say a prayer for each other and embrace the youth in our society with the aim of hearing their cries, leading them as best as we can into a path of love, trust and security. And as we do this, we trust that our Government will institute appropriate measures to rehabilitate, mentor and guide these young people along a path that will ensure full restoration.
I love all of you!
