Christ, our king, shows us how to love

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. They did not actually find Him until three whole days had passed, after searching for Him throughout the city and discovering that He had been at the Temple the whole time. Whatever God does is always good.

We’ve been leading up to this Sunday, the last one of the liturgical year. We also find this to be true in the Bible as well, as we read about some of the wonderful events that took place in the life of Christ that involved water.

Are you hated by people for loving God? But the worst thing that can happen is when we lack people of vision, leaders who can be prophetic in their reading of the times, and politicians who constantly opt for a populist pragmatism which tends to be void of core values and beliefs. The happiness we may have been enjoying can be swept away as quickly as a tiny ant is stepped on! This is the wonderful, grace-filled, life altering reality that enables us to see life differently.

The Church, “the kingdom of Christ now present in mystery”, exists as God’s means of calling all of humanity to union with himself and of gathering together the human race into one, of breaking down all the tribal walls that divide us into separate camps: Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female; black, white, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, African, Middle Eastern; rich, poor, blue collar, white collar, uptown, downtown; Latin Mass, English Mass … the list goes on and on. His names tell us who He is and what He is. It’s no longer a season to be jolly, rather it more of a season to get uptight.

Fifteen hundred years later, Orthodox Archbishop Anthony Bloom took a more cautious view: “They (the Apostles) converted the world but not immediately”. Christmas has many bright spots, and truly it is a wonderful time of the year! ‘I’m afraid I will not recognize it!’ If you’re not careful with your heart, you’ll never know if Jesus is visiting you or not. They can’t give up trusting in their own righteousness. He speaks to you through His word and Spirit, and you can speak to Him in prayer.

“I think it means that whoever says something real fast and doesn’t mean it will not enter”, says Danielle, 9. I really do not believe he is directly orchestrating the political decisions of every country.

Today’s feast invites us to contemplate the crucifix as we hear the proclamation, “He is the image of the invisible God”. Our Lord Jesus Christ also came looking for the needy and those that are heavy laden. Jesus demonstrates both in His effort on the cross to complete His sacrifice to save the very people jeering Him, and the very people who nailed Jesus to the cross. He acknowledged the sacrificial death of Christ but repudiated the idea that it was a payment. Presently, He is seated at the right hand of the Father, waiting for the Father to give the word and then He will return. Words like “joy” and “joyful” occur hundreds of times in the Bible, and a grumpy Christian is a contradiction in terms.

Luke 2:14: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. On the contrary, it fulfilled their desire for my life, to grow up living for God, knowing Christ as my Lord and Savior.

As 1 Corinthians chapter 12 says, we can’t say to different parts of the body of Christ that they don’t belong because of our differences. Have I made and allowed Christ to reign in my heart? That is why He came. It may sound presumptuous to some to say I know my sins are forgiven or to say I know I am on my way to Heaven.

Let us pray that our leaders will be mindful of protecting the most vulnerable: not only those at the beginning and end of human life, but also immigrants, migrants and their families, who have come to this nation seeking work and safety for their families.

I dislike the things that divide us. Thank you, from Christianweek. The most immediate expression with which we feel welcomed and included in him is that of forgiveness. And that is why He came.

The greatest gift given was God’s Son. The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation?”. Jesus said of them, “On the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy” (Matthew 23:28).

It is also important to look at history and see how religion has always been co-opted by the powerful, even the anti-nationalist message of Jesus.