[Sundaycommunity] Arts Second Edition of his Reflection

[Dave Snelgrove]

Thank you for sending this.  A positive message from Art.  Blessings to the
Community.  Rosemary

On Wed., Dec. 20, 2023, 12:16 p.m. Roberto J. via Sundaycommunity, <
sundaycommunity at lists.integralshift.ca> wrote:

> 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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