It is amazing that there is such a thing as Christmas.

The One whose birth is commemorated seems such an unlikely person to have dominated human history — and to have done so for so long.

This Jesus had no army.

He had no friends in high places.

At his death, the number willing to stand by him could be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Yet now, 2011 years later, 2.1 billion — one third of all human beings — follow him at least nominally. (Pew Research, 2010 *)

Yes, that is amazing.

We have a lot to be thankful for.

Let us ask God to grant us each a happy and holy Christmas.

And to enable us in New Year 2012 to live faithfully by the teachings of Jesus Christ.

( * www.pewforum.org/Christian/Global-Christianity-exec.aspx)

Journalist, Dylan Welch, (The Age, October 12, 2011) quoted an ASIO report suggesting that Australia harbours “a persistent but small sub-culture of racist and nationalist extremists”.

He went on to talk about Norwegian terrorist, Anders Breivik, being “a Christian who described himself as a ‘modern-day crusader’”.

In his manifesto, “2083 — A European Declaration of Independence”, Brievik did write:

“Myself and many more like me do not necessarily have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and God. We do however believe in Christianity as a cultural, social, identity and moral platform. This makes us Christian . . . Regarding my personal relationship with God, I guess I’m not an excessively religious man.”

But Christianity (as taught by Christ himself) says that the first Commandment is to love God with all one’s heart and soul.

To be a Christian, one’s every political idea and act must be motivated by that relationship.

This key point was missed by Anders Breivik (and, perhaps, by Dylan Welch).

Federal Member for Mildura, John Forrest, has told the media he will vote against homosexual “marriage” because his electorate is “very conservative” and “not ready for it”.

If the local paper’s poll (accessible only to people with the internet) manages to come up with a majority in favour of it, what will he say then?

He will have to say that he is going to vote against it because it is wrong and unnatural.

Which is what he should have said in the first place.

* * *

Very little clear thinking seems to go on about homosexuality.

It may help to compare it with alcohol abuse.

Both are traits that can cause powerful desires.

Both are bad for both individual health and for the health of the community.

Both can be resisted by means of will power plus support from friends, family or professional helpers.

Just as we have programs for rehabilitation of drunks, we might consider setting up rehab programs for those given to unhealthy sexual practices.

* * *

The two disorders are not exactly parallel, of course.

Homosexual practice is obviously worse from a moral point of view.

You can get drunk on your own.

To practice homosexuality, one must groom/seduce/recruit somebody to do it with.

This other person is harmed in a way that may well prove irreversible.

A Catholic Order in the USA (Maryknoll Fathers) is dismissing one of its priests for speaking in favour of ordaining women priests.

He was given two weeks to revoke his stand or face formal removal from the priesthood.

Comments:

(1) The Priest himself, Father Bourgeois, refuses to conform, saying last week that Catholic banning of women priests is “rooted in sexism,” which “like racism, is a sin.”

(2) Some would defend Father B by quoting the Catholic Catechism, “Man has the right to act in conscience . . . he must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience . . . especially in religious matters.”

 (3) Others would accuse the Church of “discriminating against women”, demanding that women be “empowered” (including letting them be priests).

Comments on the comments:

(1) “Sexism” and “racism” aren’t sins. They are ill-defined terms of abuse, best avoided. If an action towards a person of a particular sex or race is based on an attitude of malice, that is a sin – a sin against Charity. But restricting the priesthood to men only, as practised by the Catholic Church – and practised by Jesus himself in his lifetime — is not based on malice.

(2) Nobody is “forcing” Father B to do anything. He can promote women priests as much as he likes — but must do so as a layman. If a member of Carlton AFL football team decides in conscience to kick the ball towards the opposing team’s goal, nobody denies his right to kick footballs anywhere he wants — but not while a member of a team.

 (3) Women already have almost absolute power. They have the dominating influence on all (nearly all) young humans, from birth until puberty or whatever. Rightly so. Men’s skills lie elsewhere — in another direction — fatherhood.

* fatherhood, physically, in begetting the child

* fatherhood socially, in going out to work as the family’s provider, and

* fatherhood spiritually, in being, if so called by God, a priest.

On August 6, the Catholic Church traditionally celebrates the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ.

The event in question was recorded in the gospel as follows:

Jesus took Peter, James, and John up into a high mountain: and he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun: his garments white like snow.

And there appeared Moses and Elias, talking with him.

Peter said to Jesus: ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here: let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias.’

As he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them. And a voice: ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him.’

The disciples hearing it, fell upon their faces . . . .

* * *

The disciples regarded this as a miracle.

It helped them to appreciate that Jesus was, in fact, the Son of God, as he claimed to be.

Later, they learned also that being God’s Son — and living in a world as hateful of God as this one – suffering must inevitably follow.

So the universal symbol of the Faith is not a glorious figure enclosed in rays of light — but a tortured body, racked with pain and hanging, impaled, on a cross.

This symbol is so powerful, and so compelling in its message, that wordly people are maddened by hate of it.

So much so that they must subject it to bizarre and futile mockeries.

* * *

This last week in the Philippines a blasphemous mutilation of a depiction of the crucified Lord was hung as “art” to entertain the enemies of God.

When some people tried to destroy it, the media called their action vandalism(!)

Two weeks ago, Israel reopened the site where Jesus was baptised in the Jordan River to Christian pilgrims who wish to visit.

Since the 1967 war, when Israel captured that part of the west bank from Jordan, the site had been a heavily mined no-man’s land.

The area has now been renovated and cleared of mines at a cost of over $2 million.

Israel hopes this will help attract more Christian tourists.

Of 3.45 million tourists visiting Israel last year, 70 percent were Christians and 40 percent said their visit was a “religious pilgrimage”.

* * *

In an era when the media would have us believe that Christianity is on its last legs, it’s interesting that millions of people cross the world to see this holy place.

Baptism is an indispensable part of the Christian religion.

More than a welcome ceremony, after which the family takes photos etc., Baptism is a sacrament of the Catholic Church.

One of seven.

By means of water and the words of God, the baptised person is cleansed of sin, reborn and made holy, with a view to entering eternal life.

The water represents a washing away of sin.

It also represents a drowning — making the word “reborn” more than a metaphor.

The Bible says that “as we are baptised in Christ Jesus . . . in his death . . . so we also may walk in newness of life.” (Romans, chapter 6)

If one is unwilling to join Jesus in his death – becoming “dead” to sin, i.e. giving it up completely — one can hardly expect to receive the new life of God.

* * *

If one has failed to live in the spirit of one’s baptism, is all hope lost?

No. That is why we have the sacrament of Confession (or Penance) where one’s sins can be absolved and make a fresh start.

Reading the Bible, praying etc., aren’t enough.

The Bible doesn’t bring you to God.

The Bible points to, and sheds light on, the Sacraments, that is all.

It’s in the Catholic Sacraments themselves that we encounter — not just words about God — but God himself.