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December 20, 2006
Its CHRISTmas! Come Let us Adore Him CHRIST THE LORD
When the Son of Man comes, will He find enough faith on earth? The salvific moments are divided into Chronos and Chairos (kairos). Chronos (chronological time) is our historic time line. Chairos is a moment that transcends all times. It is in this timelessness of time that God’s grace is made available for us, when we desire Him with all of our hearts, especially sacramentally. Even though we were not there 2,000 years ago, the same grace can be ours.
“Be not afraid for I bring you news of great joy. For today in the city of David is born for you Christ the Lord.” In the simplicity of a manger the son of God comes to reside among us. “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God,” says C.S. Lewis. In faith, when we approach the birth of our Savior in the middle of the night, we are part of the group of simple ones whom the angels invited to come to cherish and adore the Son of God. He became incarnate to be the paradigm of all sacraments - an outward sign of inward grace - the visible sacramental signs under which He will be with us till the end of the ages, so that we can touch and experience the great God who was unapproachable. He came seeking us in our traditions and way of life. He was born in a family, in a culture, in a geographic location—the same as you and I. He knew poverty, pain, suffering, sorrow, joy, tears and happiness.
“Behold Him lying in a manger in swaddling clothes.”The wise men sought Him in a palace, but did not find Him there. Likewise, if you sought him in a big party bash, you have the party, not Him. Come worship in the sacramental tradition that has been handed down by Christians who had followed the Apostles teaching so faithfully. This could be our chairos. John 3:16 is not only for the world but for you and me. Chronologically we are in a time where political correctness makes allowance for any other religion in our country except for Christianity. Yet our founding fathers knew well that this nation could be only “One nation under God”. The very Christian principle on which this nation was built has been comprised. Some churches today even teach that Jesus is not the only way; “No one can come to the Father but by me.” Can we deny the words of the son of God who came to die for you and me? There have been heresies, as in the past, promulgating erroneous doctrine about the son of God. Some of the media have joined the bandwagon of heresy, questioning His origin and family and His divinity. The devil wanted Him to deny His divinity by challenging and tempting Him. The devil has his presence and his agents today as well. He is the Father of lies and he knows how to connive and manipulate the thoughts of men for his ends. Sadly enough, even churches have not been an exemption to his tricks and devilry.
It is encouraging to read the Christmas ads and see different denominations embrace the tradition of the Holy Communion this Christmas. Will it only be a symbol or a will it be a Sacrament-a moment of saving grace? For some, Reformation became more a dominant belief system than the apostolic tradition, in which they all laid down their lives for the “Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Reformation, in truth was an attempt to return back to orthodoxy. The Oxford movement attempted to emulate the true spirit of the reformation. Ever since, many have been lured by impartial truth and it continues in some churches of today. The supreme authority of the Scripture is paramount. Scripture can only be interpreted in the context of a tradition, as the tradition has safeguarded it for two millennia and the Holy Spirit has righted the wrong, regardless of the fallibility of man. Incarnate Word showed us the example of contextualizing within the spatial-temporal categories of humanity.
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” God’s Word cannot be stripped from the church which was built upon a rock (Cephas, the other name for Peter), unto whom the keys of the kingdom were given. There can not be a selective form of Christianity, cafeteria Christianity as it were. Any one who embraces the “feel good/prosperity Christianity” is not embracing the truth in its entirety. Suffering is part of our Christian earthly life and is an attitude of resignation. If our Lord and Savior had to undergo suffering, then it is but natural that we, his disciples have some share in it. There are many among us who are resigned to human suffering through terminal illness, death of a loved one through sickness or accident or any crisis. They know very well that their Lord has been there through it all and they were never alone Heaven is the only place where there is no suffering and that’s the place we are marching towards. So, until His second coming, we live in hope through our struggles and pain, relying on His strength and grace. Remember what we are celebrating in Christmas - Emmanuel God who is with us! His second coming will be in power and glory and he will come to judge the quick and the dead. But when He comes will the son of man find enough faith on this earth, as He himself wondered! Like Christ, let us embrace our humanity in faith. Have a Blessed Christmas!
Posted by frleo at 4:22 PM | Comments (0)
December 2, 2006
Advent: What are waiting for?
My pastoral duties kept me away from blogging for some time. Glad to be back on the eve of the Holy Season of Advent. Adventus Redemptoris is the "coming of the Saviour." He has already come through His incarnation as the word made flesh, who dwelt among us. He will come again in glory to judge the quick and the dead. Matthew 24:36 following puts this very directly.
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
If so as His faithful stewards we are expected to be watchful and tending to his flock.
"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth
The season of Advent is a call to remind ourselves of our eternal nature than the fleeting temporal nature. Somehow we are sensitive to God's presence only when we are surrounded by danger and difficulty. That is a nature of servants who are hired and it's typical that they would fool around while their master is away. But those who love the Lord, need not be afraid, for their faithfulness to Him at all times, will find them serving and waiting on Him. Advent is a great time to pray and remind ourselves of the grave responsibility of tending to His flock and reminding ourselves of things that are eternal.
Posted by frleo at 6:04 PM | Comments (0)