Christmas...come and see

 “For a child has been born for us, a son is given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. This is from an Old Testament reading and the ancient prophecy of Isaiah.

Last week, upon the prodding of my boys to go to watch Noel Sydney festival in the city CBD, we went, me grudgingly, but not before attending a mass at St Mary’s Cathedral. It’s been a while since we’ve been in this majestic and iconic church of the Christian faith. As the mass ended with a choral rendition, something stirred within me and made me teary-eyed when I listened to the cathedral choir joyfully and magnificently singing “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” like throngs of seraphims and cherubims singing in the heavens while also looking, and mesmerized, at the massive splendor of the cathedral’s high altar surrounded by the archaic yet beautiful stained windows.

A deep and warm feeling of spiritual emotions engulfed me right then and then.

Amidst the hectic and frantic year of 2022, of secular, and ironically, faith work I had, I felt that very moment in time, of missing out on something more important, more precious than anything else – a vague sort of feeling like when you bought a highly prized raffle ticket that you failed to claim because you’ve lost it – and past the deadline of claiming it you found the ticket and then pondering what could have been had I found it then.

Hold that thought for a moment. 

Picture yourself on Christmas eve in a magnificent cathedral like St. Mary’s. What is that bring us that evening in that place? What is it that draws people all over our land to churches at Christmas time? We are drawn, I hope, by more than the beautiful music, by more than a place of prayer, by more than the love of family and friends.

We are drawn by a longing for something, an ache, an emptiness, a void, a restlessness, a sense that life is incomplete.  It’s there all the time in different ways.  Often the noise around us drowns it out.  Sometimes when life is going well, we forget it’s there for months on end.  Then suddenly it’s back again: like a voice calling from the distance, a thirst deep within us, a sense that we are incomplete.

In times of happiness, that joy we feel has nowhere to go.  In times of sadness, it’s a longing for comfort beyond ourselves. In times of confusion, the ache becomes a cry for guidance.  In moments of darkness, a sense of the light is there, if only we could see it.  In times when we do wrong, it’s a sense of guilt and regret.  In the times when we are crushed, it’s a desperate cry for help, a longing for someone to be listening.

Sometimes it feels like a distant memory of childhood.  Sometimes it’s an echo from a faraway future.  Sometimes it’s a cry in the midst of the pain of the world. Sometimes it’s a glimpse of peace amidst turmoil and misery.  Sometimes it’s a gentle whisper in the silence of the night.  Sometimes a disease for which we can find no cure.  Sometimes it’s a longing for someone or something we cannot name, something precious but just out of reach.

All down the ages men and women like us have felt this longing, this restlessness, this emptiness whenever we have tried to live - without God.  However deeply we try to bury it, however much we hide from it, and however difficult it is to face it, the sense remains that there must be more to life than there seems to be.  We know we are called to something deeper, more real, and more meaningful than this world seems to offer.  We long in our hearts for more.

God is calling us all down the long years.  Christians recognize this inner voice, these questions, this restlessness as the voice of God calling out to each person in creation, to every one of us.  You were made with a purpose and a high calling, each of you, to know your creator and to live in friendship with God.

It is part of the great mystery of life that our friendship with God has been fractured by the evil which is in the world.  But even that broken friendship leaves its traces in that sense we have that life is incomplete, unfinished, hollow, unless we find the meaning.  From time to time, we listen and know and understand that God is reaching out to us, longing to draw us home.

The story of Christmas can only be understood as a rescue mission.  Humanity is lost.  By ourselves, we cannot find our way back to God.  So, God sends to us his Son, born of a virgin, a child in a manger, to help us find our way.

Many people who celebrate this Christmas with all the lavishness and worldly tinsel will be like my imagined self, the owner of the lost lottery ticket.  They will simply not understand what they have been given.  They will not claim the treasure which could be theirs, the treasure which is worth more than they can ask or imagine.

So, pause for a moment this Christmas and ponder again the wonder of the scene we know from cards and nativities all the world over.  See the stable, rough and ready, feel the straw under your feet and the chill night air.  Hear the animals, imagine the farmyard smells.  See Mary, a young girl, full of holy wonder.  See Joseph, kneeling by the crib.  See the fearful shepherds crowding in the stable door.

And in your mind’s eye see the child, wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.  See this child who is called by the prophecy so long-ago Wonderful Counselor: the one in whom the wisdom of the ages rests.  See this child who is called Mighty God: the Lord of heaven and earth born as an infant, taking flesh and becoming human.  See this child who is called in the prophecy, Everlasting Father: the one through whom the stars were made becomes a boy in a stable.  See this child, born in the midst of conflict, who is named the in prophecy, Prince of Peace.

Come and see the child named Jesus.  His name means God Saves and this Jesus has come to save us and all the world from our sins and draw us back to God.  According to Isaiah, his coming brings light.  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.  His coming brings joy.  “You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy”. According to Isaiah his coming brings freedom and peace and order and justice and righteousness such as the world has never known.

Remember as you look, this is the child who will grow into the wisest teacher, the most compassionate friend, and the mightiest healer the world has ever known.  This is the child who when he grows will feed the hungry, calm the storm, drive out the demons and raise the dead – mighty works and signs of a greater reality.  This is the child who when he grows will call men and women to follow him and become a new community that will spread over all the earth.  This is the child who will grow into the man of sorrows, who for the love he bears us, will go to his painful death on the cross for our sins, who will again be wrapped by his mother in strips of cloth, and who three days later will rise again, the conqueror of death itself.

Don’t hurry going out of the stable.  Stay a while. Kneel with the shepherds and ponder. If God really came to earth as a tiny child, then that one truth changes everything.  It changes the way you see God.  For God is not distant waiting for you to come to him.  God is present longing for you to receive his gift.

It changes the way we see ourselves.  You are not just a number, a statistic, or a grain of sand on the seashore.  You are infinitely precious to your creator.  You are meant to be here.  You are chosen and called and saved. Your life has meaning beyond itself.

It changes the way we see the world.  For every child is precious to God, loved, and cherished.  God’s love does not change as we grow older.  God’s love is not affected by race or the place where we are born or the human family we are born into.  No one is just a number.  Each is a person, unique, created in God’s image, loved, and able to be redeemed.

Our world is meant to be different.  It is meant to be a place of peace, not war, of fairness, not inequality, of health, not a disease, of love not hate, of honouring one another, not exploitation, of truth not lies.

“For a child has been born for us, a son is given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”

Listen again at Christmas time to the voice of God calling to you down the ages and calling you home.  Come and kneel on the floor of the stable with the shepherds.  Receive the most precious gift of all this Christmas time: the gift of Jesus - the Gift of Life.

Ides of March: A birthday reflection

 It all starts with birth.

 We enter the world with an opportunity to fulfil our individual mission in the time we are granted. The day we are born is the day we become our very own person - no longer just a watermelon in our mother's belly.

 Every year, on the anniversary of our existence, we stop and honour this day in a celebratory manner. Our family and friends usually go to significant lengths to make us feel loved and cared for. It's the one time a year when the world revolves around us.

 As time goes by, birthdays seem to creep up rather quickly and before we know it we're a year older and hopefully wiser.

 When it's all over and the next day arrives, things tend to go back to normal. We eventually become accustomed to the fact that our 'number' has changed as we return to our daily routines.

 So what's it all about?

 There is an interesting shift in balance as we age. From birth till the late twenties, our bodies continue to grow stronger and become more agile. As each year passes we can generally run faster, and increase our flexibility. This trend continues up until our early thirties, when the physical decline slowly begins.

 Getting older can present us with a number of challenges, but aging comes with rewards too. Unlike the body, the mind (while it's still sound) is capable of taking on more from age thirty and beyond. In fact, its depth increases as we continue to feed it and experience more from life.

 The adult brain seems to be capable of rewiring itself well into middle age, incorporating decades of different encounters. Research suggests that an older mind is calmer, less neurotic and better able to sort through social situations. Some middle-agers even have improved cognitive abilities.

 I write this blog after today after having gone through 5 deca and an octave years in existence.

 As I look in the mirror, and notice I have a little less hair, weaker eyesight and a body that doesn't burn fat as quickly as it used to - one could forgive me for not being thrilled about getting older.

 Yet I'm comforted by feeling like my mind is stronger than it's ever been. My thirst for information is as high as I can remember – but I stopped continuously craving knowledge.  I’d more want to partake the wisdom I’ve acquired over the years.

A few years ago I had a lot more tolerance for a 'dumbed down' world. This is certainly not the case anymore. I currently find myself drawn to videos and literature (and even music) that make me think, feel and cry rather than spending time on fluff that numbs my mind.

 As I grow a year older, I sit and ponder: What have I accomplished by being here? Has the world changed because I left that womb? If not, how can I leave some positive footprints on this planet in my remaining years?

 Confronting thoughts no doubt, but I'd rather think about them than just go through the motions.

 Perhaps C.S Lewis put it best when he said: "You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream."

 My goal now is to really “start” enjoying life with my wife, Joy. Better late than never to start writing down our telenovela-like love story, be with my adult children in their awakened journey of their lives, and show a more revamped fatherhood to my remaining 4 boys, still living with us.

Looking at phone notes – I’d like to share several truths I so far have learned in the living life.

 I’ve learned life is a precious gift given to us by our Creator and we are to treasure each and every second we have been granted. And that He speaks to our hearts everyday if we but have a desire and sensitive ears to hear His whispering Voice.

 I’ve learned that there are consequences to our decisions and choices, whether good or bad. And that when one works hard, rewards will follow. I realize that goes against the entitlement mentality of  today that says, “I deserve it whether I have worked for it or not.”

 I’ve learned that there is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledgeable men are not always wise. Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge rightly.

 I’ve learned that what is truly valuable in life has nothing to do with money.

 I’ve learned that laughter is a gift that adds music to the soul and is medicine for the spirit.

 I’ve learned that unforgiveness will eat away at your soul and short circuit your relationship will others and the Creator.

 I’ve learned that it is ok for a grown man to cry and show his emotions. And a smile is contagious.

 I’ve learned to be thankful for my blessings and to be trusting in my adversity. Our disappointments in reality are His-appointments.

 I’ve learned you cannot ever compromise with evil. If you do, it will eventually destroy you and make a fool out of you.

 I’ve learned that many waters cannot quench love. Life is short so if you are going to tell someone you love them do it before it is too late.

 I could go on and on of truths and principles I have learned over the years, but I will end with the greatest truth I have ever learned.  I’ve learned that man is sinner. While we don’t all sin alike, we have all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The remedy for our sin is the One who was above sin but died for our sins – Jesus Christ.

 And lastly…Live life, and love well.

Don't worry - Just Love More (A New Year's reflection)

 As the New Year approaches, I always take time to reflect on things. When you reflect, you think about everything that has happened to you throughout the year (past). You also think about what direction you want your life to take (future). Yes, new year is a doorstep to the future.

The same sentiment on the future, somehow has made my youngest son, Caleb, a bit despondent when he was listening his older siblings talk over a late dinner - on what they would become 10 years from now. Caleb, has a high emotional intelligence and he was teary-eyed when he shared what the future will hold for him and how worried he was for the future.

It took a while for me and Joy to explain to an 11-year-old boy about how not to worry about the future and just enjoy the blessings of today. I even shared the Latin quote his grandfather, my Dad, has shared with us 7 children when I was his age – “Quid sit futurum cras fugue quarere”, loosely translated as “Forbear to ask what tomorrow may bring”. I hope he did understand us.

Actually, everything that happened the past year, Covid and all, encapsulates the worries we all have and will have for the new year. The uncertainty of what may come and what may be, tomorrow. And yet, we focused much of our worries and anxieties, and seemingly ignored the blessings and good fortunes that came our way, the very gift of what you have right now. The value of every thing and every one with you right now. It’s like receiving a gift from someone who was excited and eager to give you one and when opening it you felt it was not meaningful for you and was not paying attention to the giver.

How much we missed out the actual value of the gift and ignored the reaction of the person giving the gift expecting we will like it. We just ignored that we survived, are alive, overcame the difficulties and the challenges that we faced in the past year with the persons with us at this moment – our family and our loved ones.

We should be reflecting, how blessed we are. Not in money. Not in popularity. Not in an absorbent amount of material things. We’re blessed with far richer things (things that no one can take away), such as our growing faith, our healed relationships, new wisdom, newfound creativity, gained-knowledge, desire to explore, willingness to learn, ability to understand others and having inner self peace.

You're blessed! If you feel down about something happening in your life, remember there's always someone experiencing something far worse (loss of a home, loss of a loved one, nothing to eat or illness). It just takes looking at someone's situation, to realize yours is not so bad. Embrace and be thankful for what you DO have. Have FAITH that whatever problems you are experiencing at the moment will end in due time. There's always sunshine after a storm.

Going into the New Year (which in my view is a time for CHANGE and GROWTH). We need to ask the One above for things we may need when life presents itself to us. We may ask God to give us the grace to love but HE doesn't just give us the grace directly - He gives us opportunities to use the grace. We pray for patience,  He doesn't just give us patience he gives us chances opportunities to be patient. If we pray for generosity or to be merciful he gives us opportunities to be generous or opportunities to be merciful.  

We should also resolve ourselves to love more, as what St Paul usually exhorts. To love the right things. This means, we need to have the right discernment – to let your head lead your heart so we can truly love what is worth loving. Appreciate the true value of a thing before trying to love.

 In the Christmas movie, “The Grinch”, the grinch started to value his silence and his own worldly things and he realized at the end other people are worth loving. In the “Miracle at 34^th Street”, this high-powered woman valued work and came to realize that, actually, family is really important. In “It’s a Wonderful Life”, there’s George Baily who valued success until he realized he can also value just living in a place having a quiet life helping others. In “Home Alone”, Kevin initially doesn’t value his family and at the end he acknowledges how he missed them. Almost every one of these Christmas stories that we know involves this discernment of what is of value after realization of all the all the characters who have started giving their heart to one thing and realizing later it doesn't deserve their heart. Yes, we love with our hearts but we discern what is worth loving with our heads.

I want to encourage you to LET GO of what was. If you willingly LET GO, GOD replaces it with something better. We used to hold on for dear life to people, places and things that weren't good for me. Don't hold on to those type of people or things. They only bring you down and make you feel bad. Cut the ties and surround yourself with uplifting people and things. People that make you feel good. Things that make you feel good.

Life can be far from sweet, and life is definitely not a bed of roses. But just like a garden, you must prune (cut-back) and weed (get rid of) for it to be pretty. Clear your "life garden" of what is unnecessary and not good. LET GO of all the gunk and crap that clogs up your life (whatever or whoever it may be). Some may not like your decision, but in the end it's about you and your wellbeing. Clear your path and make way for something better. Let go of the old, so there's room for new.

And just like God’s abounding love – which is a focused love for us. That is why, he came down as human being to show to us how deeply he loves us by becoming one of us, feel our joys, our pains, our sufferings and eventually give up his life for us to hold the promise of life and love eternal after the end of our lives.

My prayer to all those worried about the future - A blessed and hopeful New Year to all!

NEW YEAR’S REFLECTION AND PRAYER

As the old year ends and a new one begins, take time.

Time to remember the struggles you faced, and mistakes you might have made, and maybe even loved ones you lost.

In every year, you experience heartache. This one was no different.

And in remembering, find a seed of hope hidden in yesterday.

Remember how you’ve been blessed. Re-live when you found unexpected strength. Recall where you saw God’s great Spirit at work, and know his mercy kept you going all this time.

Recognize his mercy. Ask for his peace.

The peace that pours out every moment of every day from the wounds of Christ.

Prepare us Lord for the New Year. Lift us up and place in our hearts a renewed desire to know and worship you more.

Give us your abundant grace. Shower us with your healing love.

May your eternal Kingdom reign in our hearts and our lives. May the New Year show us once again your eternal mercy and glory.

And let us sing your praises with great joy.

In Jesus name,

Amen.