Good evening.<\/p>\n
This is the favorite time of the year for a lot of people. In Panama we have carols and concerts, gift exchanges, kids playing, vacation time, the beginning of the summer and the end of a another year. In many places around the world, this is a time to play with snow, to decorate the house with lights, to recreate the nativity scene with handcrafts and various materials. It is definitely a time to gather, though. Many people get together to show their appreciation to their relatives and neighbors.<\/p>\n
To many of us it may be a surprise that the early Church did not celebrate Christmas. Christmas started being practiced after the Roman Empire embraced Christianity as the state religion. Romans used to celebrate birthdays, and historians believe that the Christianization of Rome influenced Christians to start celebrating Jesus\u2019 birth. In other words, Christmas is a birthday celebration. Now – we do not just celebrate the birthday of someone who is not physically present with us. At least, I have never celebrated anyone\u2019s birthday without having the actual person there with me. Why do we celebrate Jesus\u2019 birthday not only during a day but throughout a season? Is it the fact that the story involves such a drama where a woman has to deliver in a manger? Or is it the fact that the story has such a great parallel with the birth of Moses? Maybe is none of these, maybe it is because it is such a tender story of a miraculous birth involving the pregnancy of a virgin, the appearance of angels and the guidance from a star. Maybe those are not the reasons and we can just attribute the magnitude of the season to the fact that people need something to celebrate and the birth of a baby in our tradition is a good chance to remember our neighbor and give him or her a special gift.<\/p>\n
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I submit to you this idea: Maybe the reason why this birthday is such a big deal is not because of the story of the angels, or the virgin birth, or the star. Is none of those things mentioned before, although those things have a special meaning in our tradition. Christmas is the most celebrated birthday party because of the impact that the birthday boy had on our world.<\/p>\n
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You see, in those days Jews in Israel were controlled by Rome. The Romans implanted a very unjust and extractive political system. \u00a0Many Jews resented this, they believed they deserved a lot better and wanted freedom, they wanted to be their own nation, ruled by no one but their own king. So they were expecting a Savior that would free them from bad governments, a Messiah that would become a leader worth following who could destroy the enemy, produce wealth and govern with the correct politics, following the religion of the day.<\/p>\n
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In this context comes Jesus, a carpenter, a nobody with no political connections, limited in material possessions, from Nazareth, not the most royal place on earth. Within a few years this man from Nazareth gained a powerful reputation, a strong following, and some started considering him the Messiah and Liberating King. This reputation threatened the politicians and religious of the day because they did not want to lose the control of people. But Jesus\u2019 message made so much sense to people that crowds loved to gather around him to hear him speak. And what was the message? The message was that we could live the best life, the life in God\u2019s kingdom, if we repented from our wrongdoings and loved God and loved our neighbor like ourselves. The answer of God was not in a better government nor in violence against politicians nor in punishing others. God\u2019s answer, the life in God\u2019s kingdom, actually had to be born in the hearts of the people and involved restoring our relationship with God and others. To live in God\u2019s kingdom meant that we had to live in counterintuitive ways, the ways of Christmas. Instead of seeking material wealth, WE are called to seek collective wealth. Instead of seeking peace for our families WE work for peace all over the earth. Instead of loving just our friends and families, WE love everyone, especially the stranger, the foreigner and the enemy. Instead of demanding punitive justice, WE work for a restorative justice that would protect and care for the most vulnerable. When we do this, we bring peace on earth.<\/p>\n
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This whole concept of Loving God and neighbor was there in the Bible, in Deuteronomy, hundreds of years before Jesus\u2019 birth. Yet, it was Christ who truly embodied and exemplified what it really meant. And this concept is not a cakewalk, not at all. Let me tell you what happened to us the other day. Last week, my wife Ciara and I went to watch a movie at the theater, it was a fully booked show. When I got to my seat there was a guy occupying it (I will call this guy John). I asked him if he was sitting on the correct assigned seat. He said \u201cNo\u201d, he was just sitting there because the theater had assigned him an already occupied seat. I asked John to talk to the theater to get his seat assignment fixed, but he refused, saying that he wanted them to come to him. All this was happening while the movie was about to start. I decided to inform the theater administration about the seating issue and then I came back and told John that they were coming to help him and he could now let me sit on my assigned seat. I asked him to please let me sit on my seat next to my wife. He would not listen, he would not move. This was one of those moments when the upset Joel would have intervened in an emotionally charged way. Instead, I recalled the peacemaking message of Jesus, embraced it and waited for the theater administration to come and deal with John, who was taken out a few minutes later. Everyone in the theater room missed the first 5 minutes of the movie, but the problem was resolved with zero violence. The Christian message of reconciliation applies to everyone, however moral or deviant we may be. When a good, rich young man approached Jesus asking what else he could do to be even more moral than what he already was, Jesus replied that the young man had to give away everything he had, all of his money, all his possessions and give it to the poor. In this story Jesus hints that if our lives are not consumed with the idea of loving God and our neighbor, then we are missing the best life can gives us.<\/p>\n
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Balboa, friends and family – Wishes and hopes for peace in this season are all good. But the picture of baby Jesus lying on the manger is more than a cute nativity scene, it is a symbol of sacrifice. God\u2019s kingdom does not come down by eating turkey on the night of the 24th, although I actually recommend the recipe from my Grandma. Putting our hopes on government, human justice or technology will not alone solve our deepest problems. Peace on earth is the duty of every follower of Christ, and it starts with recognizing our own wrongdoings and involves restoring our relationships with everyone.<\/p>\n
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This is why Christmas is such a big deal, it is based on such simple and yet powerful message: our best lives are lived when we genuinely Love our Father who arts in heaven, and Love and serve all of our neighbors. And this is very, very Good News: Yes, our saviour does not come to make us materially rich or politically powerful; he rather comes to give us what really matters and what we have been needing all along: an abundant, genuine and purpose-driven life that reflects the kingdom of God and brings peace to earth. And this, brothers and sisters, is at the center of tonight\u2019s celebration. Let\u2019s live out the Christmas message of peace. Amen!<\/p>\n
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——–<\/p>\n
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Lleg\u00f3 la Navidad. Para esta \u00e9poca encontramos las tiendas repletas de gente en fila, comienzan las vacaciones de los j\u00f3venes, hay varios d\u00edas libres y arranca el verano. En las casas se ponen arbolitos, se decora con luces y las personas se regalan obsequios como se\u00f1al de apreciaci\u00f3n. Todos sabemos que la Navidad es el cumplea\u00f1os de Jes\u00fas. Lo intrigante es que este es uno de los pocos o quiz\u00e1 el \u00fanico cumplea\u00f1os que tanta gente celebre y que al mismo tiempo no tengamos al cumplea\u00f1ero f\u00edsicamente presente. \u00bfPor qu\u00e9 es esta celebraci\u00f3n tan popular y practicada? \u00bfSer\u00e1 porque contiene una historia tierna de un ni\u00f1o naciendo pobre naciendo en un pesebre, o por lo milagroso de los \u00e1ngeles o el nacimiento de una virgen? De repente puede ser por el paralelo que tiene la historia con el nacimiento de Mois\u00e9s. O quiz\u00e1 no es ninguna de \u00e9stas, y simplemente es un evento que todos como sociedad reconocemos porque necesitamos una excusa para reunirnos y compartir en familia.<\/p>\n
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Le propongo la siguiente idea: La raz\u00f3n por la \u00a0cual este es el cumplea\u00f1os m\u00e1s celebrado en el mundo no es por los \u00e1ngeles, ni la estrella, el paralelo con Mois\u00e9s ni ninguna de las dem\u00e1s cosas mencionadas. Todas ellas son parte significativa de la historia, pero lo que resalta de este cumplea\u00f1os es a qui\u00e9n se le celebra y el impacto que esta persona tuvo en la humanidad.<\/p>\n
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F\u00edjese, en esos d\u00edas los jud\u00edos en Israel eran un estado controlado por Roma. Los romanos implantaron un sistema pol\u00edtico muy abusivo e injusto. Muchos jud\u00edos resent\u00edan este cautiverio, y muchos deseaban mejores condiciones de vida, deseaban libertad, quer\u00edan su propia Estado y naci\u00f3n, gobernado por su propio rey Jud\u00edo. As\u00ed que ellos estaban a la expectativa de un Salvador que los liberara de gobiernos malos, un Mes\u00edas que fuera el l\u00edder a qui\u00e9n apoyar para destruir a los enemigos, expandir sus riquezas, gobernar con las pol\u00edticas correctas e implantar la religi\u00f3n del momento.<\/p>\n
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En este contexto entra la figura de Jes\u00fas, un carpintero, un don-nadie sin conexiones pol\u00edticas, con recursos econ\u00f3micos limitados, y para acabar, de Nazareth, el \u00faltimo lugar del cual sacar a un Rey. En poco tiempo, este hombre gan\u00f3 una reputaci\u00f3n poderosa, un grupo de seguidores fieles, y algunos lo empezaron a considerar como el Mes\u00edas y Rey Libertador. Esta reputaci\u00f3n amenazaba a los pol\u00edticos y religiosos del momento porque \u00e9stos no quer\u00edan perder el control del pueblo. Pero el mensaje de Jes\u00fas le hac\u00eda tanto sentido a la gente de que las multitudes empezaron a seguirlo para escuchar su mensaje. \u00bfY cu\u00e1l era su mensaje? Su mensaje era de que la mejor vida, aquella en el reino de Dios, se vive cuando reconocemos y nos arrepentimos de nuestras fallas y amamos a Dios y al pr\u00f3jimo como a nosotros mismos. La respuesta de Dios a las expectativas del pueblo no era un mejor gobierno, ni la destrucci\u00f3n de los romanos, ni el castigo hacia los pecadores. La respuesta, la vida en el reino de Dios, ten\u00eda que ocurrir en el coraz\u00f3n de todos los hombre e involucraba restaurar la relaci\u00f3n con Dios y el pr\u00f3jimo. Vivir en el reino de Dios significa que vivimos de formas no necesariamente intuitivas, la forma de la Navidad. En vez de buscar bien material, buscamos el bien com\u00fan. En vez de buscar paz para nuestras familias, buscamos la paz para todo el mundo. En vez de s\u00f3lo amar a nuestros amigos y familiares, nosotros amamos a todo mundo, incluyendo al extra\u00f1o, al extranjero y al enemigo. En vez de buscar una justicia castigadora, nosotros trabajamos por una justicia que restaura y una que protege y cuida de los m\u00e1s vulnerables. Cuando hacemos esto, traemos al mundo paz.<\/p>\n
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Este concepto de amar a Dios y al pr\u00f3jimo ya estaba en la Biblia, en Deuteronomio, cientos de a\u00f1os antes del nacimiento de Jes\u00fas. No obstante, fue Cristo quien ejemplific\u00f3 lo que en realidad significaba. Este concepto es f\u00e1cil de enunciar, pero es dificil\u00edsimo de vivir. D\u00e9jeme darle un ejemplo de la semana pasada. Mi esposa Ciara y yo fuimos al cine a ver una pel\u00edcula. Cuando \u00edbamos a tomar nuestros asientos nos dimos cuenta de que un joven, a quien llamar\u00e9 Juan, estaba en mi puesto. Le pregunt\u00e9 a Juan si ten\u00edamos el mismo puesto y me contest\u00f3 que probablemente no. Efectivamente, cuando me mostr\u00f3 su tiquete \u00e9l estaba sentado en mi asiento y no se quer\u00eda mover porque quer\u00eda que la administraci\u00f3n del cine viniera a donde \u00e9l estaba, en mi puesto, para que le cambiaran su asientoo. Cuando v\u00ed esto decid\u00ed ir a la taquilla a hablar con la administraci\u00f3n. Regres\u00e9 y le dije que ya iban a venir a arreglarle su asiento, pero Juan nada que se mov\u00eda de mi puesto, y la pel\u00edcula ya hab\u00eda arrancado. En ese momento mi cortisol se elev\u00f3 como reacci\u00f3n natural de un chimpanc\u00e9 evolucionado en posici\u00f3n de disgusto. De repente, me acord\u00e9 del mensaje de paz de Jes\u00fas, respir\u00e9 dos veces y lleg\u00f3 la administraci\u00f3n quien lo sac\u00f3 del sal\u00f3n. Todos perdimos 5 minutos de la pel\u00edcula, pero el asunto se resolvi\u00f3 con cero violencia. El mensaje cristiano de reconciliaci\u00f3n nos aplica a todos, desde el m\u00e1s iluminado hasta al m\u00e1s perdido. Cuando un joven rico muy moral se acerc\u00f3 a Cristo a preguntarle que \u00e9l pod\u00eda hacer para ser una mejor persona de lo que ya era, Jes\u00fas le dijo que diera todo lo que ten\u00eda a los pobres. Con esto Jes\u00fas nos sugiere que si nuestras vidas no se consumen con la idea de amar a Dios y a nuestro pr\u00f3jimo, entonces nos estamos perdiendo de lo mejor que la vida nos puede dar.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Balboa, amigos, familia – Deseos y esperanzas en esta \u00e9poca son buenas. Pero la escena del ni\u00f1o Dios en el pesebre es m\u00e1s que un adorno de nacimiento, es un s\u00edmbolo de sacrificio. El reino de Dios no se implanta comiendo tamal en Noche Buena, aunque ponerle picante y chile le va a dar un toque especial al tamal, algunos le ponen uvas, esa tambi\u00e9n funciona. Poner nuestra esperanza en el gobierno, en la justicia humana o en la tecnolog\u00eda no resolver\u00e1 nuestros problemas m\u00e1s profundos. La paz en la tierra es una tarea de todo seguidor de Jes\u00fas, y comienza reconociendo nuestras fallas e involucra restaurar nuestras relaciones con todos.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Es por esto que Navidad es tan importante, porque est\u00e1 basado en un mensaje sencillo pero poderoso: la mejor vida es vivida cuando amamos a nuestro Padre que est\u00e1 en el cielo, y cuando amamos y servimos a todos nuestros pr\u00f3jimos. Y \u00e9stas son las buenas nuevas: Nuestro salvador no vino a hacernos materialmente ricos ni pol\u00edticamente poderosos; en vez, el vino para darnos lo que s\u00ed importa y lo que hemos estado necesitando todo este tiempo: una vida genuina, abundante y con prop\u00f3sito que refleja el reino de Dios y trae paz a la Tierra. Hermanos y hermanas, \u00e9ste es el centro de nuestra celebraci\u00f3n. Mi oraci\u00f3n es que podamos reflejar la paz que traen el mensaje y autor de la Navidad hoy y siempre. \u00a1Am\u00e9n!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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