Christmas, of course, is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, 2000 years ago. But if we are to understand and appreciate the wonder that is Christmas, we must also celebrate the birth of Christ, who was born 13.8 billion years ago. For at Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Christ.
Genesis tells us that at the beginning of creation the universe was in a state of chaos. And then "a mighty wind swept over the waters," bringing calm and order to the chaos. (Gen. 1:1-2). We understand the mighty wind to be the Spirit of God. From the first moment of creation, God was present in the universe.
In the Hebrew mentality in which Genesis was written, we could say that God became present in the universe by anointing it. The universe became "the anointed one." The Hebrew name for "the anointed one" is Messiah. The English translation of "Messiah" is Christ, or the Christ Reality. The universe with God present in it is the Christ Reality.
The Christ Reality, or simply, Christ, was born 13.8 billion years ago along with the creation of the universe. God's living, conscious, intelligent, self-giving loving presence in the world/universe makes the world/universe the Christ Reality.
Christ is all in all. (Col. 3:11). Every galaxy, star, planet, all water, soil, rock, insect, plant, bird, animal and person lives in the God-present, Christ-ed universe. God is present in everything and everyone. Theologian-scientist Teilhard de Chardin said that we live in, "The Divine Milieu."
Note: God's universal presence in the universe is not Pantheism, which makes the universe God. It is panentheism: God is present in the entire universe, which makes the universe the Christ Reality.
"Unto you is born a Savior who is Christ the Lord." (Cf. Lk. 2:11). When Jesus was born
2000 years ago, the Christ that he was, was already 13.8 billion years old. The amazing, joyful wonder of Christmas is that Jesus was the living, conscious, intelligent, loving, universal Christ Reality in the form of a first century, Jewish man.
The word, "Catholic" means "universal." Our Catholic faith in Jesus the Christ opens us beyond the Jewish faith to a global, universal faith, from within which we look back to the Jews as our beloved elder brothers and sisters in faith.
Jesus the Christ moves us through the dualistic thinking that occurs naturally to us, e.g., I am me and not you. I am White and not Black, or Brown, or Yellow. I am a Catholic, not a Protestant, or Jew, or Muslim, or Hindu, etc., to unitive thinking that arises from a global, universal faith. In and through Jesus, the Christ, we open our consciousness to embrace the entire world in love. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:28). Christ is all in all. (Col. 3:11).
Also, as Jesus did, we turn believing into acting, and we reach out, as effectively as we can, to all other in love.
Being the global, universal Christ, Jesus knows no boundaries or restrictions of love for the world and everything and everyone in it. So as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Christ, we should make a new effort to open our eyes, minds and hearts and extend ourselves in good will and love to everything and everyone, without exception.
We are not naive. We know that some people will reject us. Some will hate us and even want to kill us. Nevertheless, we should offer to join with everyone of good will, whether people of faith or of no faith, to work together to build up the Reign of Love in the world, especially in the form of order, justice, peace, joy of life, and gratitude, and with a special option for the poor, sick, vulnerable and outcast. This year we can especially note that the political and corporate culture contradicts Christmas very deeply.
As we gather up love of all others in Jesus the Christ, we offer that love to God, The Father, through Christ, in the Spirit of joyful gratitude and worship. With Christ and through him we joyfully proclaim, "Peace on earth, good will to all."
And to all, a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Genesis tells us that at the beginning of creation the universe was in a state of chaos. And then "a mighty wind swept over the waters," bringing calm and order to the chaos. (Gen. 1:1-2). We understand the mighty wind to be the Spirit of God. From the first moment of creation, God was present in the universe.
In the Hebrew mentality in which Genesis was written, we could say that God became present in the universe by anointing it. The universe became "the anointed one." The Hebrew name for "the anointed one" is Messiah. The English translation of "Messiah" is Christ, or the Christ Reality. The universe with God present in it is the Christ Reality.
The Christ Reality, or simply, Christ, was born 13.8 billion years ago along with the creation of the universe. God's living, conscious, intelligent, self-giving loving presence in the world/universe makes the world/universe the Christ Reality.
Christ is all in all. (Col. 3:11). Every galaxy, star, planet, all water, soil, rock, insect, plant, bird, animal and person lives in the God-present, Christ-ed universe. God is present in everything and everyone. Theologian-scientist Teilhard de Chardin said that we live in, "The Divine Milieu."
Note: God's universal presence in the universe is not Pantheism, which makes the universe God. It is panentheism: God is present in the entire universe, which makes the universe the Christ Reality.
"Unto you is born a Savior who is Christ the Lord." (Cf. Lk. 2:11). When Jesus was born
2000 years ago, the Christ that he was, was already 13.8 billion years old. The amazing, joyful wonder of Christmas is that Jesus was the living, conscious, intelligent, loving, universal Christ Reality in the form of a first century, Jewish man.
The word, "Catholic" means "universal." Our Catholic faith in Jesus the Christ opens us beyond the Jewish faith to a global, universal faith, from within which we look back to the Jews as our beloved elder brothers and sisters in faith.
Jesus the Christ moves us through the dualistic thinking that occurs naturally to us, e.g., I am me and not you. I am White and not Black, or Brown, or Yellow. I am a Catholic, not a Protestant, or Jew, or Muslim, or Hindu, etc., to unitive thinking that arises from a global, universal faith. In and through Jesus, the Christ, we open our consciousness to embrace the entire world in love. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:28). Christ is all in all. (Col. 3:11).
Also, as Jesus did, we turn believing into acting, and we reach out, as effectively as we can, to all other in love.
Being the global, universal Christ, Jesus knows no boundaries or restrictions of love for the world and everything and everyone in it. So as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Christ, we should make a new effort to open our eyes, minds and hearts and extend ourselves in good will and love to everything and everyone, without exception.
We are not naive. We know that some people will reject us. Some will hate us and even want to kill us. Nevertheless, we should offer to join with everyone of good will, whether people of faith or of no faith, to work together to build up the Reign of Love in the world, especially in the form of order, justice, peace, joy of life, and gratitude, and with a special option for the poor, sick, vulnerable and outcast. This year we can especially note that the political and corporate culture contradicts Christmas very deeply.
As we gather up love of all others in Jesus the Christ, we offer that love to God, The Father, through Christ, in the Spirit of joyful gratitude and worship. With Christ and through him we joyfully proclaim, "Peace on earth, good will to all."
And to all, a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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