Every January 1st the Pope offers a message to encourage peace in our world.  This year’s message focuses on religious freedom as a path to peace. 

“Religious freedom, like every freedom, proceeds from the personal sphere and is achieved in relationship with others. Freedom without relationship is not full freedom. Religious freedom is not limited to the individual dimension alone, but is attained within one’s community and in society, in a way consistent with the relational being of the person and the public nature of religion.”

In the message the Holy Father emphasizes the full dignity of the human person which much continually be maintained and safeguarded (a dignity which includes religious expression) while calling to task both secular regimes and politically oppressive regimes that subvert this basic freedom.  Below is the full text. 

The Pope’s message is followed by the vocal stylings of Elvis Costello and friends singing, “Whats so funny about peace, love and understanding?”. 

Lets just hope and pray that the world, nations, governments and peoples pay heed as we begin this new year…

http://zohoviewer.com/embed.jsp?f=hPUada

Earlier today, Pope Benedict offered the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas message and blessing.  It is a wonderful reflection on love and is well worth the read.  Below is the full text of the message.

“Verbum caro factum est” – “The Word became flesh” (Jn 1:14).

Dear brothers and sisters listening to me here in Rome and throughout the world, I joyfully proclaim the message of Christmas: God became man; he came to dwell among us. God is not distant: he is “Emmanuel”, God-with-us. He is no stranger: he has a face, the face of Jesus.

This message is ever new, ever surprising, for it surpasses even our most daring hope. First of all, because it is not merely a proclamation: it is an event, a happening, which credible witnesses saw, heard and touched in the person of Jesus of Nazareth! Being in his presence, observing his works and hearing his words, they recognized in Jesus the Messiah; and seeing him risen, after his crucifixion, they were certain that he was true man and true God, the only-begotten Son come from the Father, full of grace and truth (cf. Jn 1:14).

“The Word became flesh”. Before this revelation we once more wonder: how can this be? The Word and the flesh are mutually opposed realities; how can the eternal and almighty Word become a frail and mortal man? There is only one answer: Love. Those who love desire to share with the beloved, they want to be one with the beloved, and Sacred Scripture shows us the great love story of God for his people which culminated in Jesus Christ.

God in fact does not change: he is faithful to himself. He who created the world is the same one who called Abraham and revealed his name to Moses: “I am who I am … the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob … a God merciful and gracious, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (cf. Ex 3:14-15; 34:6). God does not change; he is Love, ever and always. In himself he is communion, unity in Trinity, and all his words and works are directed to communion. The Incarnation is the culmination of creation. When Jesus, the Son of God incarnate, was formed in the womb of Mary by the will of the Father and the working of the Holy Spirit, creation reached its high point. The ordering principle of the universe, the Logos, began to exist in the world, in a certain time and space.

“The Word became flesh”. The light of this truth is revealed to those who receive it in faith, for it is a mystery of love. Only those who are open to love are enveloped in the light of Christmas. So it was on that night in Bethlehem, and so it is today. The Incarnation of the Son of God is an event which occurred within history, while at the same time transcending history. In the night of the world a new light was kindled, one which lets itself be seen by the simple eyes of faith, by the meek and humble hearts of those who await the Saviour. If the truth were a mere mathematical formula, in some sense it would impose itself by its own power. But if Truth is Love, it calls for faith, for the “yes” of our hearts.

And what do our hearts, in effect, seek, if not a Truth which is also Love? Children seek it with their questions, so disarming and stimulating; young people seek it in their eagerness to discover the deepest meaning of their life; adults seek it in order to guide and sustain their commitments in the family and the workplace; the elderly seek it in order to grant completion to their earthly existence.

“The Word became flesh”. The proclamation of Christmas is also a light for all peoples, for the collective journey of humanity. “Emmanuel”, God-with-us, has come as King of justice and peace. We know that his Kingdom is not of this world, and yet it is more important than all the kingdoms of this world. It is like the leaven of humanity: were it lacking, the energy to work for true development would flag: the impulse to work together for the common good, in the disinterested service of our neighbour, in the peaceful struggle for justice. Belief in the God who desired to share in our history constantly encourages us in our own commitment to that history, for all its contradictions. It is a source of hope for everyone whose dignity is offended and violated, since the one born in Bethlehem came to set every man and woman free from the source of all enslavement.

May the light of Christmas shine forth anew in the Land where Jesus was born, and inspire Israelis and Palestinians to strive for a just and peaceful coexistence. May the comforting message of the coming of Emmanuel ease the pain and bring consolation amid their trials to the beloved Christian communities in Iraq and throughout the Middle East; may it bring them comfort and hope for the future and bring the leaders of nations to show them effective solidarity. May it also be so for those in Haiti who still suffer in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and the recent cholera epidemic. May the same hold true not only for those in Colombia and Venezuela, but also in Guatemala and Costa Rica, who recently suffered natural disasters.

May the birth of the Saviour open horizons of lasting peace and authentic progress for the peoples of Somalia, Darfur and Côte d’Ivoire; may it promote political and social stability in Madagascar; may it bring security and respect for human rights in Afghanistan and in Pakistan; may it encourage dialogue between Nicaragua and Costa Rica; and may it advance reconciliation on the Korean peninsula.

May the birth of the Saviour strengthen the spirit of faith, patience and courage of the faithful of the Church in mainland China, that they may not lose heart through the limitations imposed on their freedom of religion and conscience but, persevering in fidelity to Christ and his Church, may keep alive the flame of hope. May the love of “God-with-us” grant perseverance to all those Christian communities enduring discrimination and persecution, and inspire political and religious leaders to be committed to full respect for the religious freedom of all.

Dear brothers and sisters, “the Word became flesh”; he came to dwell among us; he is Emmanuel, the God who became close to us. Together let us contemplate this great mystery of love; let our hearts be filled with the light which shines in the stable of Bethlehem! To everyone, a Merry Christmas!

In the lowliness of the manger we see that “love and humility have more in common than love and majesty” (St. Bernard of Clairvaux).  Merry Christmas everyone!

The Christmas tree is up and decorated.  The nativity scene is out.  The Advent wreath is about to be put away.  The Christmas cards that are going out this year have been sent.  Gifts are wrapped.  The stockings are hung (Bailey’s and Maxine’s already have doggie treats in them).  What else is needed to make this a perfect Christmas?  Oh, yes … a healthy dose of humility!

In the Office of Readings for December 22nd I was struck by these words by Venerable Bede: “Those who refuse to be humble cannot be saved.  They cannot say with the prophet: See, God comes to my aid; the Lord is the helper of my soul.  But anyone who makes himself humble like a little child is greater in the kingdom of heaven.” 

I began this season of Advent reflecting on the “sign” of the miners trapped underground in Chile and the three young men rescued from being lost at sea.  I remain convinced that we are the miners and we are those who are lost.  We cannot save ourselves.  We stand in need of a savior.

A common reflection for Christmas is the revelation of the humility of God.  God humbles himself to be born a child.  God does this for us and it is indeed good news!  But there is another side to the equation of humility: if God has humbled himself to come to us then we, in turn, must humble ourselves in order to receive and welcome him.  If the stable is good enough for God then it is good enough for us!

We must make of our lives and our hearts a stable that is fit for the King of creation.  This can only be done through humility.  We must acknowledge who we indeed are and who we need.  We are sinners and we stand in need of a savior.  This acknowledgement does not deny our worth nor belittle the human spirit (as some “puffs of wind” in our world contend). 

Humility is the path to true dignity – a dignity founded not in the illusion of pride and self but in the reality of communion with God and communion with one another.  God is completely at home in the humility and poverty of the stable – it is there that we find Him and that we discover the truth of who we ourselves are.

O come, o come Emmanuel!  Our world needs you.  Our church needs you.  I need you.  And may we each make of our hearts a humble and poor stable worthy to receive and welcome you!  Come Emmanuel and we shall rejoice! 

     

A further thought: God is indeed at home in the stables of our world – the poor, humble, lowly and put-away places of our world.  If you are searching for God, if you are no longer comfortable with the void that this world offers – go (with a discerning and humble heart) to the stables of the world and there you will encounter God.  An important note though – you must remain faithful.  Once or twice is not enough, God wants to know that your heart is sincere.  If you remain faithful in visiting the poor places, God will speak to your heart. 

In this age of conspiracy theories and cracking hidden codes I thought people might find this interesting. 

On each day from December 17-23, the antiphon proclaimed before the reciting of the Magnificat in the evening prayer of the Church’s Liturgy of the Hours refers to a different title for Christ.  Each title is preceded by “O” – hence the designation “O Antiphons”. 

The antiphons help to focus the expectation of the waiting Church on the coming feast of the Birth of Christ while presenting an aspect of who the Messiah is.  Each antiphon also refers to a specific prophecy by Isaiah regarding the coming Messiah.

No one knows the exact origins of the “O Antiphons” – they are referred to by Boethius (c. 480-524) in his writings and by the eighth century they are in common use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome.  Following this they become common throughout the universal church.

Below are the antiphons and the scripture passage(s) from Isaiah that they refer to: 

December 17th – O Sapientia: “O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care.  Come and show your people the way to salvation.”  Isaiah 11:2-3, 28:29.

December 18th – O Adonai: “O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.”  Isaiah 11:4-5, 33:22.

December 19th – O Radix Jesse: “O Flower of Jesse’s stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you.  Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.”  Isaiah 11:1, 10 and Micah 5:1.

December 20th – O Clavis David: “O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of heaven: come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.”  Isaiah 9:6, 22:22.

December 21st – O Oriens: “O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”  Isaiah 9:1.

December 22nd – O Rex Gentium: “O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creatures you fashioned from the dust.”  Isaiah 2:4, 9:5.

December 23rd – O Emmanuel: “O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.” Isaiah 7:13-15

Now, some scholars point out that if you take the first letter of each title in Latin, starting from Dec. 23rd and working back to the 17th (Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia), you can form the Latin words “ero cras” which translates, “Tomorrow, I will come.”  “Tomorrow” being the 24th and the beginning of the Church’s celebration of the birth of Christ.

 

In all of the gospel story Joseph does not say one word yet his actions speak volumes.  In fact, Joseph is not mentioned at all in the Gospels of Mark and John and just in passing in the Gospel of Luke.  It is in Matthew’s gospel that we encounter this quiet saint.

Four times in the first two chapters of Matthew’s Gospel, Joseph receives divine instruction in a dream.  Each time he trusts and he obeys.  On the surface one could easily call Joseph a fool and I am sure some did.  He must have been ridiculed when it became known that he took Mary in even though she was already with child.  But he trusted and it was this trust that enabled him to weather the storms of ridicule and difficulty that he had to endure following each divine instruction (taking Mary in, picking up everything and heading to Egypt, returning and finally being led to settle in Galilee).

All of this begs the question, “What was it that enabled this depth of trust and certainty in Joseph?”  There is one simple description of Joseph at the beginning of it all in Matthew’s gospel that points to the answer.  After the revelation of Mary’s pregnancy, Matthew writes, “Joseph, her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.” (Mt. 1:19)  Joseph, simply put, was a good man.  He did the right thing because it was the right thing to do.

Here I would like to make a point about Joseph that I fear is being lost in our day.  In iconography it has been the tradition to portray Joseph as an elderly man.  In fact, it is a more recent adaptation that tends to portray him as a contemporary (age-wise) of Mary.

This is important, I believe, because we live in a time that overvalues youth and devalues age.  Might the need to portray Joseph as a young and robust man be a subtle form of age-ism?  My question is this; would a younger man have had the wisdom and the life awareness needed for the depth of trust required to face what Joseph had to face?  Matthew specifies that Joseph was a “righteous man” – my experience is that one does not just wake up one day “righteous” but that righteousness is gained through a long process of living in right relationship with God and neighbor.  Righteousness takes time. 

In a world of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief and Harry Potter we like the idea of the young person waking up one day to an understanding of his or her uniqueness and wealth of powers and abilities (with very little mentoring and training involved – if any) yet how realistic is this?  I don’t think it is very realistic in terms of righteousness and the moral life nor anything else for that matter.  Somethings take time – developing skills, knowledge and ability takes time, being righteous before God and neighbor takes time. 

I have no problem picturing Joseph as older than Mary and in fact I think this portrayal of Joseph offers an important instruction for us regarding the journey of faith and discipleship and a needed corrective for our time. 

It was a common practice in their day for an older widower to take in a younger bride.  With this understanding the siblings of Jesus referred to later in the gospel story can be seen as step-brothers and sisters.  Children of a previous marriage of Joseph.

(An aside offered here – some would point to these siblings of Jesus as full brothers and sisters thus denying the Church’s long standing teaching regarding the perpetual virginity of Mary.  My question is this, if Jesus had brothers and sisters why then from the cross did he commend Mary to the care and protection of John the beloved disciple? (John 19: 25-27)  If Mary had other children it would have been their duty to care for their mother.  It is worthy to note that our Lord does a very tender thing here as he is dying on the cross: he finds his mother a home and he gives his church a mother.)

Joseph – the quiet saint – has much to teach us if we just have the ears to listen.

There is some good spiritual advice that I once was given: don’t try to judge what is in the heart of another person – only God can see into the heart – when we attempt to read the heart of another we, in fact, just reveal what lies in our own hearts. 

I have often found that the secular media’s coverage of Church and papal events falls short – revealing not so much the story or the honest truth but rather something much less.  One does sometimes wonder if the coverage is in fact more of a reflection of the media and its concerns than that of the Church itself.

Now, here I think it important to make a specific point, the Church is not above the purview of the media.  The media in our society does have the right to consider, evaluate and put forward news regarding all institutions in society.  This is the role of the media.  It must be acknowledged that the role of the media in bringing to light the abuses and institutional mismanagement in the sex abuse scandals has been critical in providing the momentum needed for honest scrutiny and reform of standing practices. 

But there is a nuance to Church “news” that often the mainstream media seems to just miss.  Recently, Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, sent an advent message to those involved in social communications in Latin America with the invitation to consider the value of silence in helping to frame an approach to the news.  Obviously, the message is written from a Christian viewpoint and makes use of Christian imagery but the value of the discipline of silence to help bring balance speaks across all lines. 

Below are some quotes from Archbishop Celli’s message.  The quotes are taken from a summation of the Archbishop’s message found at zenit.org.  (Full text: www.zenit.org/article-31238?l=english) 

The Vatican official recommended hushing the “flood of concerns and noises that so often drag us endlessly.”



“Silence,” he said, “is like a blank screen on which we can project the film of our daily life to see it clearly. If we project it on a wall full of pictures, books and objects, with a background of noise, we will understand little. […] In silence we hear the voice of God. In this way we will be able to be genuine bearers of his Word — as Mary who, ‘kept all these things in her heart.'” ...

“However,” he said, “if we dedicate time to choose the ingredients and to prepare the dinners and meals we will share over the holidays, must we not also prepare, and even more so, what we will communicate through radios, newspapers, television programs and Web sites? What can we give that is substantial, if our life is filled only with repeated words, with little depth and contents? Let us dedicate time to the Lord whom we are awaiting this Advent.”

It is good advice.  The discipline of silence helps to bring balance and a deeper awareness to all the stories of life. 

For people seeking a more balanced and knowledgeable presentation of the Catholic Church I would recommend supplementing what they hear and see on mainline news shows with other resources.  One of the great values of our internet age is that we are no longer limited to the mainline media and its approach. 

Two good internet resources that I find helpful are:
http://www.zenit.org (a daily or weekly internet dispatch on Church news)

Catholic TV – videos from events in the Church – primarily papal and Vatican events.  These can be accessed and subscribed to via http://www.youtube.com/. 

I am sure that there are many other fine resources out there that help to give a more balanced perspective. 

Below is a clip from Catholic TV on the perseverance of patience in this world.  It is a good message for our day. 

Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq by United States led forces the situation of the Christian community in that nation has become very dire.  The Christian community in Iraq is one of the oldest in the Church and yet today the community is on the brink of being non-existent with many members fleeing the country in a search for safety.  Although in no way connected with the invasion of their country, Christians in Iraq have become equated in the minds of Muslim extremists with the invaders and therefore have become the target of acts of violence and of prejudice. 

During this season when we await the coming of the Prince of Peace please remember our Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq and their beautiful and ancient community.  Please pray for peace among all peoples in that land and that any form of violence in the name of God cease and be recognized as a sin offensive to God, the Creator of all peoples. 

Below are two articles related to the situation of the Christian community in Iraq.  The first is written by Barbara Surk of the Associated Press (Nov. 2, 2010) and it tells the story of the devastating terrorist attack against Christians during Mass at Our Lady of Salvation Catholic Church.  The attack left 58 persons dead and 78 wounded.  The second article is from Zenit.com and it tells of an initiative to work to protect all religious minorities in Iraq.

Militants stage deadliest attack on Iraqi Christians

Despite rescue attempt, 58 die at Baghdad church

By Barbara Surk

Associated Press / November 2, 2010

Iraq’s dwindling Christian community was grieving and afraid yesterday after militants seized a Baghdad church during evening Mass, held the congregation hostage, and triggered a raid by Iraqi security forces. The bloodbath left at least 58 people dead and 78 wounded — nearly everyone inside.

The attack, claimed by an organization linked to Al Qaeda, was the deadliest ever recorded against Iraq’s Christians, whose numbers have plummeted since the 2003 US-led invasion as the community has fled to other countries.

Outside Our Lady of Salvation church, Raed Hadi leaned against the car carrying his cousin’s coffin, waiting for the police to let him bury him on church grounds. “We Christians don’t have enough protection,’’ he said. “What shall I do now? Leave and ask for asylum?’’

Pope Benedict XVI denounced the assault as “ferocious’’ and called for renewed international efforts to broker peace in the region.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki also condemned the siege, saying it was an attempt to drive more Christians out of the country.

Islamic militants have systematically attacked Christians in Iraq since the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime, effectively chasing more than 1 million people out of the country, according to estimates from an adviser to Iraq’s top Catholic prelate, Chaldean Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly.

In an interview, the cardinal encouraged the country’s remaining 1.5 million Christians not to be driven off by the militants.

Sunday’s carnage began at dusk, when a deadly car bomb went off in the area. Militants wearing suicide vests and armed with grenades then attacked the Iraqi stock exchange, injuring two guards.

The attacks may have been an attempt by the militants to divert attention from their real target — the nearby church in an upscale Baghdad neighborhood.

The assault on the church soon followed. The gunmen went inside the structure and took about 120 worshippers hostage.

The dead included 12 police officers and five bystanders thought to have been killed by the blasts outside the church before the attackers stormed inside. Forty-one Christians inside the church also died, including two priests. Iraqi officials had initially provided a much lower death toll.

A statement posted late Sunday on a militant website, allegedly by the Islamic State of Iraq, appeared to claim responsibility for the attack. The group, which is linked to Al Qaeda in Iraq, said it would “exterminate Iraqi Christians’’ if Muslim women in Egypt were not freed.

Witnesses said hostages died both before and during the rescue. They described a terrifying scene in which they desperately tried to shield themselves from the violence.

One parishioner, Rauf Naamat, said militants began by throwing several grenades and spraying the crowd inside the church with gunfire. After the initial violence and chaos died down, the militants walked up to the priest celebrating the Mass, told him to lie down, and shot him, he said.

Naamat said he heard one of the attackers talking to what he thought was Iraqi security, threatening to blow themselves up if Iraqi forces stormed the building.

An Iraqi official said he had a phone conversation with a militant, who demanded that authorities release all Al Qaeda-linked prisoners starting with the women. The official said he judged by the militant’s accent and speech that he was not Iraqi.

When Iraqi special forces joined police and other officials already on the scene, they heard gunshots and decided to enter the church “to prevent the further loss of innocent lives,’’ said Lieutenant Colonel Terry L. Conder, a spokesman for US special forces.

The Iraqi official said that when the security forces stormed the church, the militants were shooting at the hostages.

US Commission Wants UN to Help Iraqi Christians

Urges Government to Address Issue at Security Council Meeting

WASHINGTON, D.C., DEC. 14, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The U.S. federal government Commission on International Religious Freedom is urging a redoubling of efforts to protect Iraqi Christians, and requesting that the U.N. Security Council be used as a forum to address the situation of Christians and other minorities in Iraq.

Leading up to Wednesday’s U.N. Security Council meeting regarding Iraq, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a statement today.

The commission stated that the “recent upsurge in attacks against Christians” is a clear indication that “the country’s most vulnerable religious minorities remain in peril.”

They “face targeted violence, including murders and attacks on their places of worship and religious leaders, intimidation, and forced displacement; they also experience discrimination, marginalization, and neglect.”

“As a result, these ancient communities’ very existence in the country is now threatened,” the USCIRF statement warned. “The loss of the diversity and human capital these groups represent would be a terrible blow to Iraq’s future as a secure, stable, and pluralistic democracy.”

The commission “urged the U.S. government to redouble its efforts, and use the international forum as an opportunity, to address the grave situation facing that country’s Christians and other imperiled religious minorities.”

Before it’s too late

The USCIRF recommended three steps to aid Iraqi Christians and other minorities.

The members called on the U.S. government to “identify the places throughout Iraq where these targeted minorities worship, congregate, and live, and work with the Iraqi government to assess security needs and develop and implement a comprehensive and effective plan for dedicated Iraqi military protection of these sites and areas.”

They requested a periodic update for Congress on the progress of this process.

The commission further recommended working with the Iraqi government and minorities “to establish, fund, train, and deploy representative local police units to provide additional protection in areas where these communities are concentrated.”

And, the USCIRF urged ensuring that U.S. development assistance “prioritizes areas where these vulnerable communities are concentrated.”

Referring to a Dec. 4 plea for help from a group of 16 Iraqi Christian parties and organizations, the USCIRF urged both U.S. and Iraqi governments to “heed this call and work with these leaders, as well as the leaders of the other small endangered groups in Iraq, on implementing these and other measures to protect and assist these communities before it is too late.”