Christmas Reflections 2009

This year, I have decided to do something different.

I went without internet for the Christmas Day :) (It is a very special thing for an internet/Facebook/email addict like me... haha!) I remember a couple of months ago, I read this article about taking a Sabbath on the internet. After thinking about it for some time, I have decided to do it on Christmas Day.

I just took a rest, watched some TV (what? watch TV?? I seldom really sit down and watch TV, usually I surf the net while the TV is on...) and read BOOKS!! haha! I really love reading, but now most of the stuff I read is from the internet browser... :P or ebook reader...

As a result, I had a lot of catching up to do today, so many emails/ news/messages from Facebook/Google Reader/Plurk/Fan Forums...

Read a lot of Christmas related posts today from the blogs I'm following. I have been telling different people to separate consumerism from Festival Celebrations. (Not just Christmas actually... it's such an unhealthy thing to do for ourselves and the earth itself. I know it's hard to resist, because of the various sales promotion... I bought something in Christmas as well...)

Some people suggested we should separate Christ from Christmas. (Don't get crazy when you read this sentence, I think their logic is pretty sound.)

John Stackhouse: Happy Holidays will do nicely
安於沒有聖誕的聖誕節

And some thinks we should rethink Christmas. It's not a celebration of the birthday of baby Jesus. I agree.

Once Again: Christmas is NOT Jesus’ Birthday

In case you miss the point in the article above, here's a quote from the article itself.

"The theological and spiritual dangers of trivializing and sentimentalizing the incarnation—and Jesus—are far greater than any supposed benefits of further including children and making them feel part of the celebration."

What is Christmas for you? Whether you are a Christian or not, I think it's sad if it's merely a shopping season for you. If you are not a Christian, it should be a time for being with family and friends, showing your love, instead of just about shopping for Christmas gifts.

紀念日 (A non-Christian related Christmas post)
聖誕節送大禮

I didn't even go Christmas carolling this year, many people asked me why. I'm beginning to wonder, whether Christians really go Christmas carolling to spread the good news (even if I disregard the fact that good news is very much distorted these days...), or if they go because of the need to feel the festivities without feeling guilty about it (by celebrating in some non-Christian ways)??

And for me (like some others), Christmas is not as peaceful as it is often portrayed. With so many disasters (human and non-human), Christmas represents Jesus' coming into this world, and our hope for God's intervention in the world, His justice and will on earth as it is in heaven.
不安夜
《十月圍城》

Christmas

I found THE best Christmas post I have ever read, I think...

This is what I think we should do to tell people about the Gospel. And also what we should not do.

Basically the whole thing is good, I don't want to copy everything here.

"In the Christian family itself, the prosperity gospel makes a mockery of the very savior it claims to proclaim. Western Christians plunge into the pagan celebration, spending thousands on themselves and their children. We spend enough on our lights to save thousands upon thousands of lives. But those lives are in the darkness of Advent’s waiting. Our “lights” are nothing more than an extension of that darkness. They have nothing to do with the true light that comes to the world...

Ironically, after 2,000 years of offering our Savior to others, we- Christians- need one more than ever. When we mark ourselves has “having” Christ more than “needing” Christ, we miss the Spirit of the Advent season."

Read the whole article to find out how we're missing the true Spirit of Advent.

Really need time to reflect on this in this Christmas.

Calling

Read this here on iQuest today

「召命（calling）就是你最深情的喜悅與世界最深切的需要交會之處，這交會處有一個精彩的故事。」

Sounds so good, prompted me to think about it for about 5 seconds, about my own calling...

Then suddenly remember what I heard in today's class of Old Testament Theology (last class today, this course is great and I have a lot of questions in my mind now, but no time to think about it, because I still haven't finished my homework, and the upcoming exam yet, anyway, back to the point)--> our true calling doesn't necessarily make us happy, just look at Jeremiah