Liturgically Advent is preparing for Christmas. What are the meaning of Christmas and the manger? Jesus came into the world within Jewish history and culture that prepared for his coming for centuries. God had prepared his entrance into history from before creation. God can do anything but he choose to enter our world as a baby 2000 years ago, born in a manger.
Manger comes from the Latin to eat (Manducare). He wanted to be our food. A concept that staggers the mind.
Reading the Scriptures we find many reasons that humanity discovers for God's entrance into our world. The expectations of the majority of the chosen people were not met. But the few that did welcome him were also Jewish. He was the Lamb of God whose love took away the sins of the world. A concept understood at that time in history within the Jewish culture.
In the Light of the World column of the Catholic Times the priest, columnist wonders about the way we celebrate Christmas. Do we in this commercialized world appreciate the meaning of the feast?
The incident in which the Israelites who escaped from Egypt complained in the wilderness describes the history of ignorance in which they forgot and rejected the essence of faith (Numbers 11). What will life be like when the essence is lost? Also, what should we do to prevent this from happening?
We need to meditate deeply on the essence of faith and put it into practice. However, it is difficult. Sadly, faith becomes pretense and hypocrisy when one evades the effort and sacrifice required and instead passes the difficulties of life on to someone else.
It is said that evil is often cleverly displayed in camouflage. If both the church and the world are in difficulties today, it is because there is little fruit of the gospel in true faith. The Social Doctrine of the Church also states that "faith is required for response and acceptance, through which one can fully surrender oneself to God and extend concrete love to one’s brothers and sisters"(cf. no. 39).
No one can live without faith. It doesn't matter what kind of belief you have. However, one may be full of faith in one's greed, but the key is whether I have faith in God and whether I have the will to live this faith.
2000 years ago, many people directly or indirectly experienced Christmas. The Wise Men and the poor shepherds saw the Savior with a devout heart, but also a figure like Herod who slaughtered babies. Where did the difference come from? Today, as we all prepare for Christmas, we must reflect that the practice of true faith is the way to heal the world and society.
"Just as Hitler’s strong will was shown at Auschwitz, Jesus’ authority and power shine through on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. But while Hitler's will was his own will, Jesus' will was his Father's will. The decisive difference between these two wills lies in the will of obstinacy or the will of obedience."(M. Scott Peck People of The Lie)
