Today is the third Sunday of Advent. In our preparation for Christmas journey, it marks the day of joyfulness. A theme of joy is one of anticipation and thankfulness for the presence of Jesus teaching and the Holy Spirit with in each and every one of us. The Christmas Manger scene reminds us of the joy we have as people knowing the true nature of God. We know through the birth of Jesus that as the teaching of Jesus grows annually within us as we mature as Christians that we can have less fear and more love for ourselves, for God and for the world. We are reminded by the manger scene that like a baby our knowledge of God has to be nurtured as we mature. The manger scene which was a gift to us from the ministry of Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us of our connection to all of nature. This includes the animals as well as a high and mighty and the lowly represented by the kings and the shepherds. The manger is a call for social justice. The kings are of all colors of race coming together following Jesus who is brown. There is a profound truth in the manger birth metaphor that we all come equally before God and we must nurture the faith within.
My friends Jackal and Giraffe call out our individual tendencies to be both violent and non-violent. It is important that we move beyond our individual needs and show love by sticking out our necks like a Giraffe as Jesus did and not always growl like a jackal.
December the 10th was Human Rights Day. It was the day that two Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were arrested by China in retaliation for Canada following its treaty obligations. As progressive Christians we are invited to remember our fellow citizens by sticking out our necks and sending them a Christmas Greeting. The Greeting can be sent to them c/o the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver: 3380 Granville St., Vancouver, B.C. V6H 3K3. The Michaels may never know nor receive the cards. However, they might get through and like the butterfly and the storm, by writing the card you are establishing the vibration of love and care, the call of the season. The link to the whole story follows. May God Bless our life Journey of Love propelled by Joy and Light.
https://vancouversun.com/opinion/glavin-how-a-christmas-card-campaign-might-help-free-kovrig-and-spavor/wcm/8f8b3534-07ba-4ae7-b644-5af3dc2bdfeb
