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Luke 2:10 And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Christmas Greetings from Bishop Sally Dyck |
Greetings!
"Good Christian friends, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss:
News! News!
Jesus Christ was born for this!
He hath opened heaven's door,
And ye are blest forever more.
Christ was born for this,
Christ was born for this."
Christ was born for this? What's this? How often have we sung this carol and never really thought about what "this" means? This is sorrow, loss, death, hurt, and devastation: Christ was born for this!
This is the injury, death and fear gripping us all after the shootings around our country. This is a war that rages on. This is poverty and poverty-related diseases and their social impacts. This is when someone is facing illness or has lost a loved one.
This...Christ was born for this!
The writing of the song itself is a witness to how Christ was born for this; the worst times in our individual and collective lives. Heinrich Suso, the author of the words, wrote them during the 14th century which was a time filled with poverty, cruelty, prejudice and warfare. The accepted practice at the time was to write carols that were based on portions of scripture. He wrote this carol to communicate the theology of Jesus; "why Jesus?" as some ask today.
Suso's passion to communicate the gospel through this song and a couple of books about Jesus brought him suffering and persecution from the church. He died without ever knowing that his song would be sung by thousands throughout the ages as a witness to 'why Jesus?'
If all is well in your life and with your family and friends, rejoice and be thankful! But if there is sadness and loss, fear and pain, then remember the good news: Christ was born for this, Christ was born for this!
~Bishop Sally Dyck
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