Among all the bad news we have heard recently in the media, it is very hard to find any good news – and this at a time when we are preparing for the coming of Jesus, the Christ-child, at Christmas. Fortunately, I suspect that in peoples’ personal lives there is faith, hope and love.
Next Tuesday, everyone will be celebrating – each in their own way – their idea of Christmas, and much of what will be described as celebrating, will be nothing to do with the true meaning of Christmas, but will have plenty to do with shopping and spending money – most can ill-afford – with eating and drinking, perhaps to excess, whilst that message of a ‘Saviour Being Born for All the People’, would seem to have been lost in the mists of antiquity.
Taking all of this to heart, it would be enough to send one into a deep depression, were it not for hope – hope that lives on eternally in the human soul.
That hope comes from the true message of Christmas; it comes from the very fact that Jesus was born of a young Jewish woman, betrothed to Joseph, and who came into this world at Bethlehem, at a time when things were just as bad for the Jewish people of those days, as they are now for the people of the world in 2012. Occupied by the Romans, the country was ruled by their own King Herod – a King just as murderous and corrupt as many despots of today – and a king not worthy of the title. That hope – in the form of the Christ-child – changed the world then, and since, for millions of people who were at that time, and still are, prepared to believe in God and his infinite mercy.
Truly, I believe, we have one saving grace on which to continue to hope, and that is GOD IS WITH US. Traditionally, He comes to us at Christmas, but, in reality, he is always with us, today, everyday, always.
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The Scene of One More School Massacre – Newtown, Connecticut, USA
It is in this light that we can look on what happened in the recent past – news that is so distressing: the alleged false police statements that led to a senior politician resigning; the recent Connecticut killings of children and adults; the nurse who took her own life after a prank from the DJ’s in Australia; the Jimmy Saville scandals and deceptions that have led to the overturning of the inquests into the Hillsborough football disaster.
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The Scene of the Memorial to the 96 at Liverpool FC
As was said at the beginning, bad headlines such as these could easily pitchfork us all into a depressed state of mind, but HOPE overcomes such things, once we get to know that Jesus came, and is still here for us. If only that message could be received and understood by more people in the world today, then perhaps we would not be inundated quite so much, and affected by, the media’s bad news – the sorry headlines – we see almost every day. Pray God that this could be so!
A very Happy and Holy Christmas to you all, with every blessing in the New Year.
Socius
Christmas time is for Hope. How necessary that is in our fallen world, beautiful as it is, but so often a place of sadness and distrust, suffering and hatred. We are meant to live here in peace and love and the birth of the divine baby is proof. He is still living today. The following story illustrates this. Please click here (on the ‘click’ instruction below) and roll your mouse over the image to change to the next of eleven images that tell the story. Hope is what rekindles Peace, Faith and Love.
May I wish all the blog readers a Blessed and Holy Christmas.
Fr. Jonathan
