FINDING “GOD-WITH-US” IN THE RUINS OF CYCLONE DITWAH

The Feast of Christmas celebrates a truth so immense that it redefines human destiny: God became one like us - 'man'.

- By Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Eymard Fernando

The outpouring and sympathy and activism during the cyclone was heartwarming.

The Mystery of the Word made flesh: This is not merely a Theological event but a profound social and psychological declaration -- God's affirmation that every human life is sacred, meaningful, and loved.

For Sri Lanka, the urgency of this message has been magnified following the devastation inflicted by 'Cyclone Ditwah', which left a tragic trail of death, displacement, and economic ruin across the island. This massive humanitarian crisis -- marked by acute need, destroyed infrastructure, and heightened vulnerability -- is not simply a test of resilience, but a crucial moral and psychological challenge. The manger of Bethlehem remains a radiant sign of Divine compassion demanding that the nation respond to this disaster by affirming the dignity of life in the face of loss, neglect, and climate shock.

The Birth of Jesus and the Crisis of Economic Dignity against Poverty and Neglect

The Creator of the universe chose a stable over a palace, proclaiming that the poor are closest to the heart of God. This radical humility directly confronts the devastating economic reality in post-cyclone Sri Lanka, where the disaster has disproportionately impacted families already made vulnerable by the preceding economic collapse. The cyclone has destroyed thousands of homes, livelihoods, and crops, exposing the nation's fragile infrastructure and the deep preexisting inequalities. Families and communities already struggling with high living costs have lost everything in the blink of an eye.