Month: December 2014

A Christmas Story

For the Christmas Mass at Dawn, a group of Migrant Workers presently in Israel decided to walk to Bethlehem from Jerusalem. While they walked they talked about various personal experiences of what is going on in their own countries and in Jerusalem. Their conversation went something like this: In Brazil there is big problem of human trafficking, mostly women and children. Also in Guatemala the situation is very challenging. Many people illegally migrate to the U.S. in order to look for better jobs. This situation affects their families terribly. Israel also is full of Migrant Workers, who are here illegally. Along with that, the anti-Semitism around the world is a great concern for all the Jews and Christian Jewish interfaith groups. In Egypt there is so much poverty, and education is very basic, and people are so preoccupied about earning enough, that they maintain two or three jobs just to be able to feed their families. This is the sad reality today. You know in the Philippines, corruption and human rights violations are increasing. As …

Long night of Christmas

First Christmas in Jerusalem Its our first Christmas in Jerusalem. For our evening mass we went to Shepherd’s field together with the whole community in Jerusalem–Sisters, Brothers, Associates, Volunteers, Friends–and the Central leadership Team (CLT). The mass was beautiful and we also sung some Christmas carols in different languages. After the mass we had our own (Novitiate) Christmas party. The party was filled with fun, games and gifts. Then for Christmas day, we had Mass and Lunch at the Guest House. The lunch was delicious and festive. After Christmas, we invited the CLT for lunch. We had a lovely lunch, Irish Coffee and fruit salad. The meal was very well prepared. We also had a good sharing. We shared about our apostolate in the Guest House and in Kehila (Hebrew speaking catholic community in Israel). Certainly our first Christmas in Jerusalem was beautiful and meaningful. written by Arlyne

Merry Christmas

The gospel passage starts with the census ordered by Augustus. So, Joseph and Mary, who lived at Nazareth, went to Bethlehem because they have to register during a Roman census. Augustus was the one who pacified the Empire. The birth of Jesus tells us that Jesus brought the real peace. It is good that people came for census so that they will know the savior, Jesus. Jesus was born in Bethlehem in a manger. He was born in an ambiguous and wide-ranging power of the Empire. The angel of the Lord has told the shepherds to go where Jesus was born. This represents that He came for the sinners to save and to offer the world a far greater peace and love transcending all the limitations. The birth of Christ challenges us to reassess our priorities in life as well as our way of living. It is also a time for us to reflect the words of Jesus in the Sacred Scripture. Advent is a time of waiting. We are waiting for the coming of …

Christmas and Chanukah

Rabbi Sacks THE LIGHT OF WAR AND THE LIGHT OF PEACE There is a law about Chanukah I find moving and profound. Maimonides writes that ‘the command of Chanukah lights is very precious. One who lacks the money to buy lights should sell something, or if necessary borrow, so as to be able to fulfil the mitzvah.’ The question then arises, What if, on Friday afternoon, you find yourself with only one candle? What do you light it as — a Shabbat candle or a Chanukah one? It can’t be both. Logic suggests that you should light it as a Chanukah candle. After all, there is no law that you have to sell or borrow to light lights for Shabbat. Yet the law is that, if faced with such a choice, you light it as a Shabbat light. Why? Listen to Maimonides: ‘The Shabbat light takes priority because it symbolises shalom bayit, domestic peace. And great is peace because the entire Torah was given in order to make peace in the world.’ Consider: Chanukah commemorates …

The fourth candle is lit

We are near to our awaited and greatest day! This Sunday we light the fourth candle, if we pay attention of our advent wreath is it more shining than before and the light is stronger than the darkness. As we know, we light the “candle of love,” and it reminds us as Christians that God loves us more than enough because He sent his only Son to became man in order to unite the heaven and earth, to re-establish harmony between man and God. The readings have helped us to walk step by step and to prepare our hearts to welcome Jesus our Savior. The gospel of this Sunday is about Annunciation, God sent his angel two thousand years ago for Mary to announce the good news. As human being we have thought that it is impossible to experience what Mary had but we have this experienced through our daily life because God send His angels to watch and lead us. If we are in the place of Mary when the Angel visited her, what …

Hanukkah

Hanukkah shares the Messianic spirit where the Light of the Torah shines. Hanukkah is a sign of Creation which began with light and ends when light ends, Isaja 30:26 the light the sign of creation and end of world.

The third candle is lit

The third Sunday of Advent invites us to rejoice in the Lord who will come This invitation makes us believe with joy that the Messiah is coming. The prophet Isaiah speaks of this waiting with great ardor to awaken and strengthen the hope for people in the Exile. The people spent by worst moments of history when Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed. They needed comforting words and faith. Today the invitation remains the same, “Rejoice in the Lord who will come” to free us from all human evil: injustice, lies, social, physical and psychological oppression, in short of all sufferings that generate pain, sadness and desolation. Let us rejoice in the Lord who will come to wipe all tears, and that fulfilled the promise of save us and walk with us. This Sunday requires of us that we are with eyes, heart and mind opened for the manifestation of the Lord who gives himself in many ways in the events and every person on our side and away from us. Isaiah 7.14 tells us …