This is a little reflection on what happened at the manger where Christ, the King was born.

Permit me to shift attention from the usual focus.

Normally, the attention is on the child and today we have made popular the saying that ‘He is the reason for the season.’ And rightly so, he is indeed!

Christ is the new born King, there is no contestation about that. This is what goes on when we celebrate Christmas.

But my attention is on what makes a king. What really makes a king?

The crown? Anybody can buy a crown and put on his or her head and claim to be king or queen. I mean being delusional sometimes can never be lacking in the world of today.

Is it the garment that defines a king? During Halloweens, at Shakespaerean plays people can dress as they wish or as their drama roles demand – some as kings, some as priests and nuns, and so on.

I humbly think that it is the community that makes the king. Without the community, there is no king and there is no kingdom. Without the community there is no crown and no garment, no scepter and no throne.

At the lowly manger, the new born king had no crown, no scepter, his garment was barely a piece of cloth, no kingly bed but dry hays, no castle. Nothing!

But he had his community: Joseph the foster father was there with every sense of responsibility. Mary his mother, the first to hear and obey his word, was there. The rich came around with their gifts from the East. The poor came too with their shepherds to worship him. The angels served as the soldiers of the king, directing the members of the community and guarding their king. The animals were also present because the kingdom takes account of everything in the environment.

Without the community, there is no king, and where the king is, there is the community.

This Christmas, are we not supposed to gather ourselves as a community around Christ our king? We have to focus on building strong communities, where each person receives the warmth and happiness that comes from everyone. We are called to build communities of peace, justice, unity and love. Everyone should be secured in our communities. We are called to build communities where everybody is valued and welcomed; where there is no discrimination or exclusion.

As we gather in our churches, families and communities to celebrate this Christmas, just know that the new born King wants you to DO SOMETHING, no matter how little, with regard to the growth of your community.

That is how we can truly become the community of the king!