Bambino the child Jesus

CHRIST in Christmas

STRIVING
TO PUT CHRIST BACK INTO CHRISTMAS!
(Christmas Reflection
2011, by Martin Jalleh)

Many of us who are Christians have allowed rampant
commercialisation and the “Walt Disneyfication” of Christmas to reduce our
Christian spirituality to mere sentimentality. Christ has been hijacked by
“Christ-less” carols, cakes, cool cards and cozy nativity scenes and
portrayed as one entering into a world of comfortable spiritual sentiment.

In reality “Christmas is not a nice story” and “it has nothing to do
with the nativity scenes we see on our Christmas cards or in most of the
Christmas paraphernalia…” notes Nils von Kalm, an Australian writer and
sociologist.

The Real World

In sharp contrast to the modern vehicles of entertainment, the
biblical (infancy) narratives are stark short and simple. They do not allow
the imagination to dwell on the detail of time or setting. As Charles Anderson
of God Web would put it: “The Bible does not offer brilliant descriptions of
scenes or costumes, landscapes or city scapes...…

“ The biblical writers were struggling to express that which is
beneath the surface and to reveal the fire that burns at the very heart and
center of life…One searches the scriptures in vain for descriptions of the
manger, we are given absolutely no detail to satisfy your curiosity about
what the baby Jesus looked like…(or) the costumes of Mary, Joseph and the magi.

“ If we read the Christmas story in the original we are taken into the very
depths of our own experience where the pain and the pleasure of a cold
winter day are most intense. The Bible concerns those conflicting currents of our
own inner life, those cross currents of pleasure and pain that are finally resolved
in the experience of God's love.”

Anglican priest Joy Carroll Wallis echoes the same when she
reminds us that “ Jesus didn't enter a world of sparkly Christmas cards or a
world of warm spiritual sentiment”. Sadly, “we have often settled for the
sweet coming of a baby who asked little of us in terms of surrender, encounter,
mutuality or any studying of the Scriptures or the actual teaching of Jesus ”
(Fr Richard Rohr).

Relevant till today

The dangerous world in which Jesus was born into and the ensuing
deep struggle between light and darkness, death and life, fear and faith –
is equally real till this day and in our very own beloved country. Over the
past year Christians have been increasingly discriminated against due to the
frequent contravention (with impunity) of the constitutional guarantees of
our religious freedom.

The world in which Jesus entered was not very different in
comparison to our world. It was “a world of real pain, of serious
dysfunction, a world of brokenness and political oppression. He was born an outcast, a homeless person, a refugee, and finally he becomes a victim to
the powers that be” (Joy Carroll Wallis) .

Neither should our response to the challenging realities we are
confronted with be different from that of Jesus’: “Herod recognizes
something about Jesus that in our sentiment we fail to see: that the birth of this
child is a threat to his kingdom, a threat to that kind of domination and rule.
Jesus challenges the very power structures of this evil age.”

This point is highlighted equally effectively by Fr Richard Rohr:
“ What we call the Incarnation, God becoming a human being, becoming one of
us , strikes directly at the heart of evil and corruption in the world. God
becoming human looks evil in the eye and takes it on without flinching. As Bruce Cockburn
sang it so brilliantly, it is God kicking the darkness till it
bleeds daylight ’. ”

The Word of God comforts and consoles us at Christmas. But it also
confronts, challenges and converts us! It refuses to allow us to remain at
the level of the sweetening and softening of the message of Christmas.
We have a choice of comfortable Christianity (Christmas pudding,
presents and the perfect paraphernalia) or the courage to challenge
(by God’s grace) both the darkness and the very power structures in our country.

Surely, the suffering and injustice in our country are too great
now to settle for any “infantile gospel” or any “infantile Jesus”. The Lord
invites us to work with him in His Kingdom -- to do justice, love mercy and
walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8). Our “fiat” would mean we striving to put
Christ back into Christmas!

Reversal

Renowned Bible scholar William Barclay describes the Magnificat
which Mary sang to her baby in utero as “revolutionary”. He says the song
highlights four revolutions that God inaugurated at Christ’s birth – a
moral , social, economic and spiritual revolution. Mary’s song links religion and
politics, faith and economics.

Mary prayed a model prayer just like Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2
and in the Psalms, and her son grew up to pray a model prayer in Luke 11…
Mary is no mother meek and mild. She is in fact a “revolutionary”! Her Magnificat
is a strong reminder that God is always with us – a people called and chosen
and through whom love and justice are to triumph over arrogance, truth over
evil.

It is a song that encapsulates the great themes of Christianity
and explicitly reveals that mercy comes to all who accept the Christ-child.
It is a song about what a Bible scholar called, “ reversals ” . In place of the
proud and the powerful, God will lift up the powerless, weak, poor and the
‘ least of these’ (Matt.25). God is one on the move to bring justice, a reversal of the way things are, even the status quo!

In her Magnificat, Mary prophesied about Christ’s mission. Jesus
fulfilled his mother's prophesy in his own Nazareth Manifesto -- his first
words, in Luke 4 -- by saying, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because
he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor."

Just like Mary, we become partakers and partners of Christ’s
mission and “revolution” when we first allow God to work a “reversal” in our
personal lives. Will we allow the Lord to turn our world upside down inside out – in
terms of our purpose, priorities, values, thinking and our whole being – in order to
bring about real, relevant and radical change in this country .

May our response to the Advent call of conversion of heart result
in our personal transformation – from one of compromise to courage, and from
convenience and comfort to one of conviction and commitment to our duty and
responsibility towards social action, justice and mission.

May our concerns and commitment be not confined to the well-being
of Christians alone but may they embrace the struggles encountered by the
peoples of all races and religions, yes, even the Muslims too. May we
champion “ the common good ” and be the very embodiment of agape as Christ is born
again in our hearts this Christmas! A Blessed Christmas!

Cell phone vs. Bible

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat

our cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several time a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing.
Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being
disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.

Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities? And no dropped calls!

Trust in the Lord and *ASAP (Always Say A Prayer)

Have a blessed and wonderful day!

Knock, Knock I knocked at heaven's door this morning. God asked me...'My child, what can I do for you?' And I said , ' Father, please protect and bless the person reading this message.' God smiled and answered... ' Request granted ' . ' Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle .'

The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength

Sometimes, we in the church are accused of glossing over the fact that life can be hard.

We sometimes tend to give the impression that all you need to do is give your heart to Jesus and all of your problems will be solved, all your bills will be paid, you will have success and prosperity, and everything you touch will turn to gold. If you are a Christian, you will have a continual smile on your face and always be happy. We make all our baskets, we sink all our putts, we close all our deals.

Does that sound like your testimony? I know it doesn't sound like mine!

I think the problem is that we've confused joy with happiness.

Happiness is dependent on happenings. Circumstances in your life dictate whether or not you are happy.

Joy, on the other hand is a gift from God, a fruit of the Spirit that transcends whatever is happening in your life. Joy allows you to rise, even to soar, above difficult circumstances, challenges, and heartaches.

Joy comes from knowing Who is in control and that He has a plan to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

We do not draw our strength from the great feeling we get when things go right; if we did, we would be powerless when hard times and adversity hit, and we would all be easy pickings for the devil.

No, it is the joy of the Lord that is our strength!

Jesus wasn't happy about going to the cross. He prayed the night before 'If there is any other way, let this cup pass from me...' But He did have joy
in obedience.

The writer to the Hebrews put it this way: 'Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross...'

There was joy for the Lord Jesus even in the pain and the agony of the cross because He knew the end result of His obedience and sacrifice would be the offer of salvation for you and me. Jesus chose to go through hell for us rather than to go to heaven without us.
In the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul talks about joy over and over again. Yet he wrote that letter to the church at Philippi while he was imprisoned in horrible conditions.

How could he write about joy while imprisoned in a dark, cold, rat-infested Roman cell? It's because joy is not dependent on circumstances!

When you and I face tough times, we can draw on great reserves of joy that are rooted in our knowledge of the faithfulness of God. That's how Job was able to say in the midst of tragedy, heartache and great loss, 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him' (Job 13:15, KJV)

He knew God and He trusted God. That is how he could have 'joy in unrelenting pain' (Job 6:10, NIV).

~~By Agyeman Fordjour~~

Feast of the Assumption - Ave Maria

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Feast of the Assumption is also known as the Feast of the Dormition (falling asleep) of Mary. The feast commemorates Mary's assumption into heaven.

O Blessed Virgin Mary,
united to the victorious Christ in heaven,
you are the image and first-flowering of the Church
as she is to be perfected in the world to come.
You shine forth as a sign of sure hope and solace
for the pilgrim People of God.
In your Assumption,
you manifest the fullness of redemption
and appear as the spotless image of the Church
responding in joy
to the invitation of the Bridegroom, your Son,
who is the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Grant that we may follow your example on earth
thereby imitating your Son as well
and being enabled to share your glory,
with Him for all eternity.
______________________________________________________________
Almighty and everlasting God,
You have taken up body and soul
into the heavenly glory the Immaculate Virgin Mary,
Mother of Your Son: Grant, we beseech You,
that, ever intent upon heavenly things,
we may be worthy to be partakers of her glory.
Through Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
One God, forever and ever. Amen.

Your tears are precious to God

Your tears are precious to God

Read John 19:25-27

Tears that are cried during prayer are
very valuable, like droplets of diamonds.
There's nothing wrong with
getting emotional and pouring our
sorrows upon God. When your heart
is heavy with grief over any loss, any
worry, or any hurt, Jesus expects you
to share the burden with him. Give
yourself permission to really let it all
out, from deep within. God does not
throw these diamonds away. He
cherishes them. He cries with you.
Is Not tears prayer-diamonds, Isn't heaven
supposed to be a place of joy, where there is
no more sorrow? Yet,Heaven ::: cries because of sin
in the world ::: cries for you when you turn
away from JESUS ::: cries when someone
sins against you ::: cries with you when you
cry, and so does Jesus.

Crying seems to be a female trait; because of
the way we are made biologically, women cry
more often than men. Scientists explain that
men's hormones channel their grief into anger,
and yet Jesus — fully a man — cried for others
when he saw them weeping over the death of
Lazarus, and he cried for Jerusalem when he
foresaw its destruction, and he cried for himself
when he faced crucifixion.

God appreciates our tearful prayers, because
they mean we're being honest with him and
with ourselves. Such prayers come from a passion
deep within. Not only are they offerings of
grief, like precious diamonds for God, but they
are also an act of surrender. We have reached
the end of our ability to be strong, happy, and
accepting of life's hardships.
In that humble
surrender, God has room
to move in and comfort
us and give us his own
strength to continue onward.
Have you ever felt the
hug of God ? One of the
scriptural names for the
Holy Spirit is the Comforter,
but how can we
feel the embrace of a
God who's invisible and
intangible? Often our
tears come from being
unable to feel his touch when we need it
most.

So we have to look for the various
ways that He makes himself known to us.
Throughout the day, Jesus is at our side
doing little and large favors for us. Usually,
however, we let our pain distract us
from noticing his gifts.

In John 19:25-27, the comforting embrace
of God is made tangible between
Mary and the disciple John.

While he grieved over the suffering and loss of his
dearest friend, she grieved with a heartbreak
that only a mother can know. And
Jesus, in the midst of his own pain, gave
the gift of comfort to his mother and
friend by giving them both to each other.
It is through community — the gift of
each other — that we find comfort . There
is no greater pain than suffering alone.
God does not want you to suffer alone,
ever. He's providing you with friends who
will give you his embrace, just like he did
for Mary and John.

If you don't know who
these comfort-companions are, look
closer, look in new directions; they are
already there for you.