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As redemption of the human race through the sacrifice of the Son of God on the cross is at the heart of Christian theology, this ranking seems to be accurate.

Christian believers will deal with both feasts differently. For them, Easter and what it symbolizes is the core of our belief, and they even describe Christmas in terms of Easter terminology, so that Christmas is seen as a first step on earth towards the cross or the execution of God's plan for salvation.

Nevertheless, I suggest we not see Christmas as merely a pre-Easter event. We should set the Incarnation as our model and example: God coming to dwell among men as compassionate yet suffering.

Jesus lined up with the human race in a physical infant body when he was born in Bethlehem. He also stood in the queue with sinners to be baptized in the Jordan River on the first Epiphany (which is observed as a commemoration of his baptism, as well as the visitation of the Magi). On Easter, he died for us and then was raised up from death victoriously. He lived among us and sensed our challenges and sufferings and reached out to comfort and support us in our daily challenges.

Do we have the same mindset of Incarnation as reflected in Christmas, Epiphany, and Easter? Do we line up with the oppressed?

In the Middle East, the ongoing conflict causes the weaker minority in a minority, the Christian community, to suffer. Living surrounded by a security wall in something like a ghetto when the world has become a small village due to the Internet and satellite TV seems unbearable. This environment deprives people of their dignity.

If Joseph and Mary were to travel to Bethlehem today, they would be stopped at a checkpoint, and only a miracle would have gotten them through to Bethlehem. Fleeing from Bethlehem to Egypt from the ruthless, violent Herod would have taken another miracle.

It is easy to be a hero and advocate for staying in the land, but when suffering and economic and political hardships are on the rise, then the easier route is that of looking for a better place to live. I have more relatives who live around the globe than those who remain in Israel, and we are no exception among Arab Christians.

As followers of Jesus, we have a calling to stick despite hardships to preserve the Christian witness in this place. We try to teach our people to acknowledge this calling in their lives. The King of Glory became flesh and lived in our land. Sites that point back to specific events in his life here are attractive to pilgrims.

His message started here, and from Jerusalem this message spread to the whole world. Today, Christ has bright witnesses for his name all around the world.

But the witness for him in the places where it all began is getting dimmer generation by generation.

When we meditate on the Incarnation celebrated on Christmas and Epiphany, let's pray for a truly incarnational perspective that also takes forward-moving, operational steps to help the faithful in the land where faith was born.

Botrus Mansour is the general director of Nazareth Baptist School.

Copyright © 2007 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Botrus Mansour previously wrote "Prince of Peace's Hometown Bombarded" for Christianity Today.

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January (Web-only) 2008, Vol. 52