A Message

Micah 5:2 – 5a, Hebrews 10:5 – 10, Luke 1:39 – 45 Christmas is a time of Joy and happiness. That is when we remember the birth of Jesus. Just as in the time of Jesus birth we prepare to celebrate Christmas in the backdrop of the slaughter of children in America, the brutal rape of a 23 year old girl and many more in India, and the floods and land slides which has cost the life and property of many rendering many homeless. It is in this background that we turn to the readings today. Traditionally we read about the annunciation in Luke 1:26 – 38. That is where the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that through her The Son of the Most High will be born.  However on hearing the news that her older cousin who was barren was in her 6 th month of pregnancy Mary visits her. However while we keep this in mind I want to draw a few insights from our readings in the light of our theme for the day - Love: the annunciation. Let us draw on a few insights into our Gospel reading today. ...

Acts 10:44-48, Psalm 98, 1 John 5:1-6, John 15:9-17 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34, 35 This passage is part of the Passover discourse that Jesus had with his disciples just before his death. After the meal is over, the washing of the feet, this conversation. Ch 13-17. The emphasis is on love.  Jesus is now re-emphasizing and explaining the new commandment that he had given earlier through the illustration of the vine. A call to remain in the love of Christ (v9, 10) “As……. love you” (15:9). Here Jesus re-iterates his love for the disciples because he knew one was going to deny him and another betray him, they would desert him, one would doubt him as one had doubted him at the beginning of his ministry, and there were two who were ambitious. So he is drawing their attention to how the he loves them. It is not that ...

Integrity is commonly known as doing the right thing when nobody is around. The word "integrity" comes from the Latin adjective integer which means whole, complete. In this context, integrity is the inner sense of "wholeness" deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency of character. As such, one may judge that others "have integrity", meaning they act according to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold. When God created man and woman, he created them with a purpose. He gave them a command and he trusted them to carry them out. They were created in the image and likeness of God. He entrusted to their hands the all that he created, all that was good. They were supposed to be people with integrity. But they failed to keep up to it. And from the time of the fall integrity was hard to find. But through all that, there are people who have been determined and have demonstrated integrity and have fulfilled the purpose ...

On this joyful occasion you step into a new chapter of your life and you are both here to receive a blessing of your marriage because you are in love with each other. But the challenge lies for you beyond this day of celebration, when all the wedding guest are gone and you have settled down into your daily routine and that challenge is to truly love each other. And I am sure you will both do that.    You have chosen a wonderful verse from scripture on your card ‘ as long as we love one another, God will live in us, and his love will be complete in us ’ (1 John 4:12). This I think shows your commitment to your marriage which you base on love even though you are two different faiths.   We ought to remember that this love is not just physical, emotional or carnal. Such love is based on money, gifts, parties, more materialistic. Like a mother who said last week I have given everything for my son the only thing we don’t have is a sofa, whereas the son was being abuse...