[Sundaycommunity] Arts Second Edition of his Reflection

[Roberto J.]

Dear Community, please find the second edition of Art’s Reflection.
Huugs,
MA & Roberto

A day of Joy and Rejoicing

Art Blomme

The rose coloured candle of the third Sunday of Advent is Gaudate, "a day
of Joy and Rejoicing".

When I think back to my early understanding of the Christmas story I
initially recall the beauty, joy and rejoicing at the birth of Jesus.

Though, not long after, a contrasting memory surfaces.  I recall my shock
as the story proceeds to account the holocaust of all the children of
Bethlehem under the age of two who were slaughtered by Herod.

Even at this early age of 6 or 7, I remember being so outraged by this
horrible evil act. The parallels of this story to today's genocides of
innocents throughout the world are astounding. They invoke this same
sentiment in me.

Herod tells the Magi "Go and search diligently for the young child and when
ye have found him bring me word that I may come and worship him also(Mathew
2)." Herod is telling a story (a narrative) that hides his intention to
murder the baby Jesus.

In like manner today the legacy media, controlled by the rich and powerful
narrates the story that most of us believe to be reality. This is how the
powerful can steer their citizenry to behave in their interests.  This is
how they hide the skullduggery  of their wars and their crimes against
humanity. This is why the lie that Zionism is equal to Judaism prevails.

In Mathew's Christmas story Joseph is warned of the danger to his family in
a dream.  As Leonard Cohen sings  “There is a crack in everything, that’s
how the light gets in”.  Joseph courageously faces the reality of this
danger.  He makes a monumental decision to flee from this danger to the
land of Egypt.  The hardship faced by the holy family does not diminish the
beauty and joy experienced in the birth of the child Jesus.

So to are we called to have the courage to face up to the darkness of evil
and take action to diminish the power of evil over us.

An analysis of evil was fundamental to the teaching of the early church. As
is the case with the Christmas story most instances of evil in the New
Testament arise from political institutions that wield power over life.
Jesus' crucifixion is achieved by the instituted  powers of ancient Israel
collaborating with the instituted powers of The Roman Empire. John's book
of the apocalypse tells the tale of the Roman Empire depicted as a horrific
beast overcome by the shining new Jerusalem descending from the heavens .

Our faith is that evil is no match for goodness. The joy and beauty of
Creation fills our hearts even as we dare to look into the belly of the
beast.  In the darkness of evil permeating our world we light this Candle
of Joy and Rejoicing for we are children of light.
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