celebrating new life

At a time when this nation debates whether to say "merry christmas" or happy holidays," banners are already up in China with the words, "Merry Christmas."  And Marshal, our Chinese student, tells us that in Mandarin, Christmas is translated as "holy birth festival." So, China, a nation that does not particular support religion. is willing to use the word Christmas with its religious meaning.  Interesting to say the least.

Regardless of one's religious or non religious beliefs/inclinations, celebrating the birth of Christ does give us the opportunity to consider our lives anew.  God came to earth clothed in human flesh so that we could be clothed in God. What an amazing gift!

I like what Brennan Manning writes: "Christmas is the promise that the God who came in history and comes daily in mystery will one day come in glory. God is saying in Jesus that in the end everything will be all right. Nothing can harm you permanently, no suffering is irrevocable, no loss is lasting, no defeat is more than transitory, no disappointment is conclusive. Jesus did not deny the reality of suffering, discouragement, disappointment, frustration, and death; he simply stated that the kingdom of God would conquer all of these horrors, that the Father's love is so extravagant that no evil could possibly resist it."