- Christmas Message of the Year of 2013 -

 
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests" (Luke 2:14)

Christmas is just around the corner without exception in this end of the year of 2013 for our successful conclusion.

May this world be full of love of child Jesus, who came as a King of peace!

May all people, who are groaning in the midst of sufferings, be full of joy and deep gratitude, grace and true peace of Christmas!

The birth of Jesus is a joyful news of love, which leads people who deserve death to life.

 
The child Jesus gave up his extremely valuable throne of highest heaven, and came to lowly and mean manger.

Two thousand years ago, His Incarnation was for the salvation of all handiworks of God from the sin, proclamation of the kingdom and righteousness of God, and performance of love and sacrifice by Himself based on share and bestowment.

The event of His Incarnation which shall remain long in history is love and sacrifice itself.

On these current circumstances in which the full-grown sin caused by greed of mankind is becoming the cause of ruin of people and in which people are falling into the swap of despondency and sense of shame, I cannot but to recognize afresh that the love and sacrifice of Jesus is too great and nobly valuable.

In particular, the coming of Jesus was not for the rich, bashaws and individuals for high positions, but for all people of lowly classes neglected and despised to become their friend and give them peace.

Therefore, on this Christmas, we all should understand again the deep meaning of Christmas.

However, although it has been two thousand year since the humble King of peace came to this world, our society is still even now in an uproar of a lot people and groups blinded by ambitions for success and desires for authority.

People tend to be drawn themselves into a whirlpool of the vainness of authority, losing sight of the fact that, as is proverbially said, roses and maidens soon lose their bloom

Even this year, a lot of weak and neglected people, such as the urban poor and poor farmers, the handicapped, irregular workers and foreign workers, sexually suppressed women, starved and diseased north Koreans, are painfully groaning like thunder without exception under the social polarization on all sides. In Korea under these circumstances, the absolute majority of people of the Republic of Korea reached a definite decision on December 19 to ballot for the Presidential candidate of opposition Grand National Party to censure the ruling Roh Administration for its incompetency responsible for the current impoverished conditions of Korea.

The global village, where we are sharing with, is still filled not only with those people fatigued with poverty and demon of ill health which menace their rights to live, but also with so many people suffering from the frustration caused by suppression and horror in the very spot of war, terror and contention overspread with heavy cannon smoke of antagonism and jealousy, hatred and retaliation. These sufferings and accumulated problems which our neighbors are undergoing, shall not be settled in the least through the logic of capitalism and efficiency only.

Christmas is a day of joyfully celebrating the Advent of a Savior who widely opened the way of salvation and hope to all mankind living in despair under the dominion of death. Through the Birth of Jesus Christ, God cleared away the fear of death hanged wackily down in the midst of the destiny of all mankind, and proclaimed the peace bestowed from Heaven.

The dominion of sword of ferocious King Herod, the dignity of the Roman Empire dominant in the whole world at that time, and even the owner of the inn who had no way but to refuse to grant an empty room to a parturient woman were nothing more than extra actors in the historic event of the more meaningful Incarnation of Jesus Christ, who reached out His warm hand of reconciliation and comfort to all mankind living in the midst of the dismal valley of shadow of sin.

Therefore, greeting this Christmas day, we all should be in a transport of joy to the beginning of salvation, and show simultaneously concern and love to neglected neighbors and people of broken spirit.

On Christmas, we should embrace, with love of Christ, the erroneous sense of value twisted with loneliness and hatred.

Through the celebration of Christmas, the day when Our Savior was born, I sincerely hope that the miracle full of restoration and healing, comfort and peace shall occur to all suffering people in this world.
 

 

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