Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Christmas Brings Strong Message of Hope that Oppression of Empires Whether Yesterday or Today Do not Last Forever

22 December 2012
Thon Thoeun ,12, sleeps in a concrete pipe that serves as his family’s home near the former Boeung Kak lake in Phnom Penh. Meng Kimlong

Caesar [propped up local ruler] in his pomp?
“A second level of local rulers assisted Caesar’s court to oppress their own. In Jesus’ time these were the Herods and the Chief Priests. They had traded their integrity for the crumbs of pomp and power that fell from Caesar’s table. The one thing they dared not do was to disagree with the philosophy of the empire.

A Christmas Reflection by Bishop Duleep de Chickera

Jesus was born in circumstances of political and economic oppression. Palestine had been occupied and subdued under Roman imperialism. Caesar Augustus reigned supreme over a vast empire. His pomp and power knew no limits; and he was even made out to be a god.

The people of Palestine experienced hardship and harassment under this regime. They were taxed heavily to maintain the extravagance of the Emperor’s court and the might of its military machine. Those who dared to call for freedom and justice were brutally crushed. Some were thrown to the lions or crucified in public. This was to instil fear and prevent further uprisings.

“Human resilience, values, passion and perseverance for social justice cannot be confined to any one religious tradition or ideology. It spans all boundaries and includes all cultures at all times.
A second level of local rulers assisted Caesar’s court to oppress their own. In Jesus’ time these were the Herods and the Chief Priests. They had traded their integrity for the crumbs of pomp and power that fell from Caesar’s table. The one thing they dared not do was to disagree with the philosophy of the empire.

Caesar’s court and its collaborator-opportunists despised each other but needed each other. They were compelled to stay together to serve each other’s interests. Together, they imagined that the Empire would last forever.
“The modest and the wise, unknown to each other but in a common search for truth and life, meet at the stable of hope.



The gift of hope
The coming of Christ challenges the pomp and power of the empire and the myth of its invincibility. In time, the baby, born in a stable, grows up to offer a higher alternative to the violence and greed of the empire. His life and teaching stirs the human conscience and opens the way to liberating truth and fullness of life. This truth and life sets people free from the impulse to violate and victimise others, and awakens a yearning to include and safeguard the dignity and freedom of the other, now seen as sister and brother within one human family.

It is this new release of perspective and energy rooted in the human conscience which relentlessly discovers ways of overcoming barriers that deprive and divide humans. The human instinct to protect and care for each other is much stronger than the sum of greed of the violent empires of the world.

This then is the strong message of hope that Christmas brings; the oppression of empires, whether yesterday or today, do not last forever. When contested with the much more dynamic forces of truth, love, justice, humility, forgiveness, healing and reconciliation they are destined to collapse and give way to a higher order. The prophetic words of the late Martin Luther King that “the arc of history is bent towards truth and justice” are a precise summary of this reality.

Windows of hope
This Christmas message opens several windows for us all. It is for us to decide at which of these six we are to stand.

1. The stable born baby grows up to love the vulnerable and include the marginalised.

The liberating freedom that Christ offers cannot be confined to personal or institutionalised religion. The heart of Christianity is justice for the vulnerable and the oppressed; everywhere and always.

2. The peace and goodwill that the birth in the stable ushered, was first announced to poor and socially excluded shepherds.

Violence and injustice is never the end of the story. New signs of hope will always emerge in lowly and unexpected places like the stable and the open fields. When modest humans take on the responsibility to protect each other through solidarity, integrity, self-denial and self-scrutiny, ripples of change can grow into waves, and the tears of the violated will be wiped away.

3. The wise visitors, who were led to the stable and cooperated to save the saviour, were from other religious cultures.

Human resilience, values, passion and perseverance for social justice cannot be confined to any one religious tradition or ideology. It spans all boundaries and includes all cultures at all times.

4. The happenings in the stable did not immediately oust the Caesars and their accomplices.

In fact it made them more violent. There will always be those who resort to violence and injustice for the love of pomp and power. Empires replace empires. This is why the work of social justice never ends. Those who work for a safe, just and reconciled world have no rest; they are to be alert always, till the end.

5. The modest and the wise, unknown to each other but in a common search for truth and life, meet at the stable of hope.

Many from different backgrounds, prompted by different reasons and unknown to each other are in search of truth and life. Even if they think so at times, they are not alone in this search. Hope is generated when such persons meet in a common place. In this search, each has much to offer and all are to cooperate in a spirit of openness and generosity.

6. The message that grew from the stable is inclusive and universal.
It offers hope for the perpetrators of injustice as well. Those who build empires always have another chance to give up their violent and unjust ways and turn to a life of integrity through repentance and remedy of the damage done. When this happens victims and violators will be able to share the shade of the same tree.

With Peace and Blessings to all!

Source: dbsjeyaraj.com

21 comments:

. said...

Dear School of Vice,

Thanks a million for sharing such a wonderful Christmas reflection. May I personally wish you and the rest of KI-Media team a Merry Xmas and a very very happy new year...

At midnight mass, I will surely be praying for the well-being of our Khmer people and the well-being of our homeland!!!

Very truly yours,

Somnawk

Anonymous said...

The Two Advents In One View

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn." (Isaiah 61:1,2.)

-----------------------------------

Jesus reading from Isaias of this prophecy....

Luke 4:16-21

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
-----------------------------------
Commenatary

Noticed that Jesus never read the part from Isaiah, "The day of vegeance of our God..."

Why? Because he will fulfill this part at his Second Coming. Therefore he omitted this advent from his reading from his First Coming.

People, God will take vegeance upon his enemies at his Second Coming. Who are his enemies? All that opposes him Jews and Gentiles alike.

God's wrath is real as PM Hun Sen's wrath is real by killing people who opposes him.

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God adideth on him." (John 3:36)

Anonymous said...

God will punish evil hun sen and his clan to suffer a horrible death and destruction soon!

Anonymous said...

Khmer army hats sre the same style as the Vietnamese army.

Anonymous said...

Look at the image clearly. The image at end of the tunnel resembles he Democratic Movement for National Rescue " logo", very powerful image, the only united movement which can save Cambodia from tyrany. Let's stay firm! The Sun has rised.....

Anonymous said...

អាបងធំហុនសែនវាខំប្លន់រាស្រ្តសព្វទីសទី!
ប្លន់តាំងពីទ្រព្យសម្បត្តិរហូតដល់ដីធ្លី!
រាស្រ្តមួយនគរក្រទំាងអស់!មានតែអាហុនសែន
និងក្រុមគ្រួសារវា!
អង្គរក្សវាក័ចាប់ផ្តើមក្រដែរ!

បើរាស្រ្តខ្មែរក្រទៅហើយនោះតើមានអីប្លន់ទៀត?
ប្លន់អាហុនសែនតែម្តងទៅព្រោះថាថ្ងៃ៧មករា
វាសប្បាយភ្លេចខ្លួន!

Anonymous said...

May God bless those who got evicted from their own land by hun sen's cronies!!! May lightening struck hun sen his family and all his cpp friends.

Anonymous said...

For the Jews (most of them) looked for a Messiah that would deliver them from the power of the Romans. They couldn't understand the two Advents of Messiah as prophesied in the prophets of old.

The two Advents

First Coming: Messiah son of Ben Joseph--the suffering servant. He fulfilled the Passover festival by laying down his life on the day of Passover to be crucified on a stake by the hands of sinners. Rose again on the 3rd day, ascended to heaven after 40 days.

Second Coming: Messiah son of Ben David--the conquering king. Jesus will come back as a king to rule and reign over Israel and over the whole earth with peace and justice.

Jesus did not advocate social justice, neither was he a socialist. The Jews were suppose to live by the Torah (law) of God. They know what was required of them to walk humbly before their God.

I think it is a mistake to take the message of Christmas and turn it into a social justice issue. At least I don't hold that view. I know there are alot of Christians out there that do. Jesus purpose on earth was to preach the Gospel to the poor and set the captives free from demonic bondage and heal the brokenhearted. And to fulfill the Spring feasts of Passover, Unleaven bread, Firstfruits and Penticost. Penticost is 50 days after Passover.

It is in his Second Coming to Rule and Reign over the whole earth that we can exspect peace and justice for all. I'm not going to believe in the United Nations lies that they could bring peace and justice in this wicked world. No way brother! They will only bring a false messiah who will deceive the whole world to worship the Devil.

But to do justly and to love mercy is always right in the sight of a merciful God.

The world's only hope is in God and God alone, not other religions mixing with the God of the Bible. They have to change, not God.

Anonymous said...

God is not changed,God of your bible is the same [Christianity God] yesterday,today,tomorrow and forever....Other Gods? Perhaps no other Gods but god of the bible is the only one!...

Kmenhwatt

Anonymous said...

I don't think god's has anything to do with situayion in cambodia, if god's he doesn't help the children of Connecticut killing, of course he can's help the cambodian people. The only thing is that khmer must do for them self by stand up against the dictator,

Anonymous said...

The Rise of Christianity and the rise of the Muslim, these two religions are the most EVIL killing machines on earth, God is evil. These two religions had killed the most people through history of humankind.

Akon said...

8:08 AM
God may not only punish Hun Sen but the people of Cambodia. Why did God send Viets and the uneducated ruthless men to rule Cambodia?

May be the people are Cambodia do not follow God and never did.

Akon said...

8:08 AM
God may not only punish Hun Sen but the people of Cambodia. Why did God send Viets and the uneducated ruthless men to rule Cambodia?

May be the people of Cambodia do not follow God and never did.

Akon said...

1:46 AM
You have a good heart. Yes prayers are powerful if many pray God to save and bless those who are sufferings.

Akon said...

9:55 AM
No, you misunderstood about GOD. GOD is not for only these billion Christians but for others who are non Christians, non Jews and non Muslims, and for all the creatures in the Universe regardless where they are. Most of people of earth misunderstood about GOD. Light, one can see through the reflection of countless stars... is a mighty intelligent energy into existence and substance. That mighty light mighty energy, mighty force is GOD. GOD is the light that enlightened the darkness. "Ikhanya elikhanya emnyameni".

Humans of earth misusing the Holy secret of nature, they continue to destroy this priceless gift "planet earth" that is why they are suffering. People of earth continue to fight with violence to attain power over others while earth planet is in deadly danger.

You should try to search the truth before you may poison yourself further.

Akon said...

9:53 AM
Read my post at 11:23 AM.
The key to know GOD or Universe is to live a life of harmony and peace, to be a gentle human being. You, and all earth people are living under the Sun's system, which under violence system.

Until you and your people of earth can be gentle and can live in harmony and can communicate through a telepathy with each others and with other advanced life out of this earth planet known as extraterrestrials or celestial beings whose technologies are far beyond people of earth can reach, then the sufferings of earth people will never stop. So do not blame GOD.

To use a telepathic communication, earth people must be able to be gentle and to live in peace and harmony.

Earth man Albert Einstein was the only one who found a speed of life E=mC^2, but it is still about 300 years far behind those advanced extraterrestrials. They can travel faster than time. It will take them 3 or 4 months to reach earth but it will take earth people million years to reach them or reach nearest star of earth solar system.

Because the mental forces, spiritual strength, peaceful thoughts are made up of micro-atoms with different speeds in wavelength of light, and light is the intelligent energy, why spend your life cursing GOD or believe Him but walking on the wrong track like these fanatic believers?

Anonymous said...

To use a telepathic communication one has to be a spiritual person.
The Aliens who landed on earth communicate with us through a telepathic communication. They are very spiritual creatures and their technologies are fathom reach by humans. Their crafts are faster than the speed of light found by Einstein.

They already colonized Moon and Mars, and their bases are underground. The Alien who colonized the Moon and Mars are humanoid look like us.

Real spiritual people can travel faster than the speed of light if they were to be a space travelers. Their space ships can invade or take the earth so easily, but they don't intend to do so.

I don't think these people understand that far what is God.
Because of their misunderstanding about God that is why they are facing endlessly wars and sufferings.

Anonymous said...

Israelite vs. Palestinians for many thousand years and the two were brothers born from the same father Abraham different mothers only. They were Ismael and Issac.

When two brothers cannot live in peace and harmony, don't blame GOD.

God incarnated as a human being (Jesus Christ) in flesh and He directly lived with/among them, He taught them to love one anthers regardless as He loved them. He taught them that if someone slaps their cheeks then turn another cheek to be slapped also. Those groups called Christians and Muslims killing each others, but the today Christians many bring food and medicine to help the poor around the world while the Muslims are busy calculating time when too kill others.

The radiation from the sun causes humans to be crazy and aging so fast.

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Anonymous said...

*****

គ្រួសារកំពូជចោរ....

កើតមកជា..........ចោរ

រស់ ជា............... ចោរ

ងាប់ទៅវិញក៏ជាខ្មោចបិសាច...ចោរដែរ...

អាខ្វាក់ហ៊ុន សែន ឈ្មោះដើមវាហ៊ុន ណាល់ ។
ឪវាឈ្មោះ ហ៊ុន នៀង,បងប្រុសវាឈ្មោះហ៊ុន ណេង ជាមេចោរលួចគោនៅស្រុកក្រូច
ឆ្មារ ខេត្តកំពង់ចាម ម៉ែវាឈ្មោះ ឌី ប៉ុក
ជាអ្នកលក់នំអាកោរ។ អាខ្វាក់ហ៊ុន សែន ឈ្មោះដើម
វា គឺ អាហ៊ុន ណាល់ ជាចោរដូចឪវានិង បងប្រុសវាដែរ។
អ្នកស្រុកក្រូចឆ្មារដេញប្រផាត់រត់ប្រផីងជង់និង
មែកត្របែកខ្វាក់ភ្នែកម្ខាង ហើយឆ្នាំ៧០រត់ចូល
ចូលព្រៃម៉ាគី ធ្វើជាខ្មែរក្រហម។
ជំនាន់ខ្មែរក្រហម គណៈភូមិ គណៈឃុំ និង
គណៈតំបន់មួយចំនួនជាចោរ ឬ មេចោរលួចគោ ឬ ក្របី។
ដល់មកបានធ្វើនាយករដ្ធមន្ត្រី កើតជាមេចោរលក់
ជាតិ លួចជាតិ។
ឪអាខ្វាក់ហ៊ុន សែន ជាមេចោរ បងប្រុសអាខ្វាក់ហ៊ុនសែនជាមេចោរ
អាខ្វាក់ហ៊ុនសែនជាមេចោរ អស់ទាំងមុខមន្រ្តីក៏ជាចោរដូច អាខ្វាក់ហ៊ុន សែន ដែរ។

Anonymous said...

អាសែនភ្លើ អើយអាសែនភ្លើ...

សូម្បីតែកូនង៉ែតទើបតែកើតក៏ដឹងដែរថា :
អាយ៉ងខ្វាក់ក្បត់ជាតិ ហ៊ុន សែន នេះ ជាមេក្បត់ជាតិ, ជាមេ
លក់ជាតិ, ជាមេឃាតករឈាមត្រជាក់, ជាមេខ្មែរក្រហម,
ជាមេទុច្ចរិត, ជាមេពុករលួយ, ជាមេយូកូងបាតផ្សារ,
ជាមេក្រុមមនុស្សពាល នៅកម្ពុជាដែរ...!
ហើយក៏ជាមេគ្រោះថ្នាក់ធំជាងគេនៅក្នុងប្រទេសខ្មែរសព្វ
ថ្ងៃនេះ បើខ្មែរយើងមិនរួមគ្នាកំចាត់វានិងបក្សពួកវាចោលទេ ប្រទេសខ្មែរគ្មានថ្ងៃបានសុខសាន្ត និងអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ប្រទេសជាតិ
ឱ្យចម្រើនលូតលាស់បានឡើយ។
អាខ្វាក់អន្តរធាន..! អាងាប់អន្តរធាន..!អាមេយូកូងបាតផ្សារ..!

Anonymous said...

The technology of People of earth is 3000 years far behind the extraterrestrials whom we called the Aliens, not 300 years far behind but 3000 years.

The extraterrestrials are very spiritual people. They use the telepathic communication to communicate with us. Their technologies are highly advanced, and it will take Einstein 3000 years to catch up. They travel faster than earth speed of light.

They don't have wars or bank system or monarchy or government system like earth people. They are not just spiritual people, each couple stay together until their death. They don't betray their mate.

We people of earth are still primitive and compare to the extraterrestrials we are barbarians. 1000% Cambodia is ruled by only barbarians. Their primitive life makes them like vultures or baboons.

Earth scientists are dumb except Albert Einstein, even if his speed of light is 3000 years behind the extraterrestrials.