– Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade (bernardinodandrade@gmail.com)
I DON’T BLAME THE JEWS:
All the Jewish traditions and teachings indicated that the Messiah was going to be a powerful leader trained to conduct wars against their enemies and the powerful especially against the Roman Empire that had them oppressed under political and financial laws.
One day they heard some news that the Messiah had come. But he had come as a poor and fragile baby. Mary «gave birth to her first born son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn». (Lk. 2: 7). For the poor this was good news. God became one of them. «The Word became flesh» (Jo.1:14).
For the rich and powerful this was bad news. This news became a threat. This was a scandal. And it has been a scandal ever since. That’s why the world of business took the place of the Messiah and Christmas was transformed into a «pagan winter festival» with a crib.
JESUS WAS A HOMELESS person: There was no place for him in the inn (Lk. 2:7)
JESUS IS A HOMELESS person: My friend Sara (not her real name) lives in Funchal. She attended the University of Madeira. Sara finished her studies. She is beautiful and full of dreams. No job, no money, no house. She has a precious child with a little mental challenge. A very «nice» and «cruel» state institution decided to «help» her. Took from her this precious child and put him in his grandparents’ house where he was physically abused. What happened to my friend Sara? The street became her «house». The streets are a horrible place to sleep in. But it is even more horrible when you are a woman and when you are beautiful. Jesus was born a homeless person. Jesus is homeless person.
JESUS WAS A REFUGEE: The angel told Joseph: «… flee to Egypt. Herod is about to search for the child to destroy him». (Lk.2:14)
JESUS IS A REFUGEE: Thousands of people are, today, fleeing from their homelands because others want to destroy them.
Jesus is a homeless person. Jesus is a refugee. If I don’t understand this I will not understand Christmas.
Fr. Bernardino Andrade
MY CHRISTMAS CARD TO YOU: