When I became a Canadian, one of the most moving parts of the ceremony was when our group of would-be citizens from around the world stood as one and recited the oath together. The staff from Citizenship and Immigration Canada emphasized that it was very important for us to say the words out loud rather than silently mouthing the words—so important so that they actually walked around to check that we were making sound as we spoke.
But as 2016 draws to a close, looking at the
We are meant for life in all its fullness. Our getting together for the sheer pleasure of it anticipates the Kingdom and the heavenly banquet. Conviviality and celebration, especially in the face of difficult circumstances, bring light into the world.
Do you remember what you were doing on the morning of December 26, twelve years ago? Many of us in North America may recall waking up to tragic news stories of unimaginable destruction caused by a 9.2 magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami that devastated the country of Indonesia. For those of us who watched the disaster unfold at a distance, it may be hard to believe so many years have passed. Yet for many families in the region of Aceh, the painful memories of that fateful day will never leave.
The Spirit of God animates us, but it all happens in the flesh: every deed of kindness, every act of generosity, every word of encouragement happens in the flesh. Every embodiment of Christ’s grace or truth or love happens in the flesh—or it doesn’t happen.
God’s invitation for us to abide in God as God abides in us is not an invitation to settle down and get comfortable. It is a call to mission, a summons to fruitfulness. We are meant to share the fruits of the divine life with others.
We prune to let go of growth, letting die what is alive but not growing in the best direction. We prune to let go of death, letting go what is dead but still taking up space. Pruning is a form of dying in order for the tree to more fully live and bear more fruit.
”Busy” is a word that often comes to mind when we think about the Christmas season.
A simpler lifestyle can be a way to share with those who have less and a way of returning to them what is usurped by unjust social and economic structures. Assuming a stance of under-consumption can be a provocative invitation to others into a conversation about affluence, poverty and social justice.
“Final message – people are dying since last night. I am very surprised I am tweeting right now & still alive… I am very sad no one is helping us in this world, no one is evacuating me & my daughter. Goodbye.”