The Methodist Church in Fiji has called on Fijians to open their hearts and their doors to the outsider, the unwanted, the outcast and the different this Christmas.
In his Christmas message the President of the Methodist Church in Fiji Rev. Dr. Epineri Vakadewavosa says if people are honest with themselves, they can see that Christmas has become less about sharing love and peace, and more about purchasing and mass consumption.
He says during the festive period people use an enormous amount of resources that, in turn, generate a huge amount of waste.
Vakadewavosa says packaging, wrapping paper, food waste and even Christmas trees all lead to a surge in waste production at the end of December with thousands of kilogrammes of waste in many forms and hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars spent.
The President of the Methodist Church in Fiji says excessive food and kava and alcohol consumption has a high economic, environmental and social cost.
He says at the heart of all of this is a child who was born in a poor environment, was persecuted from birth, was raised as a refugee and yet was the “Word made flesh,” the “Light of the world”.
He says Christmas is about embodying the gift of God’s love.
Vakadewavosa says people must not forget the significance of Christmas in their feasting and parties.
He has also asked Fijians to pray for their national leaders, on both sides of Parliament – that humility, sincerity and a willingness to work together for the common good will exemplify the deep listening, sharing and desire for consensus that is advocated globally as the talanoa spirit.
