Matthew 2: 1- 12
The event that Jesus Christ came to our side in the form of human beings, the lowest, is a great event that can demarcate history and transform history. “Christmas” is a compound word of Christ, which means “Christ”, and “Mas”, which means “festival”. What kind of heart do we have just after Christmas? What do we have left? With the festivals of the world, colourful Christmas decorations, and the story of Santa Claus, we seem to have lost Christmas.
We have to meditate deeply on who is “Jesus Christ” who is expressed as “coming” to us, breaking away from ritualistic faith in keeping, worshiping, and attending church. According to Matthew Chapter 2, Magi who study stars came to worship him after seeing the star. Jesus, the creator God who created heaven and earth, has become the salt and light of the world, and deserves to be worshipped. What we need to look at here is that Jesus Christ is a king with all power, but he did not come to our side in the upper class and by tyranny. Jesus Christ is the king of peace, and came to us in humility.
Being in this world, Jesus became one of us. Taking on the nation and its leaders, he stood, being baptized signifies our need for repentance and the power to take action for ourselves. The world has no power over us, unless we give it. As such, in this season of baptism, we need to reflect on what God has called us to do. Putting on a new armor to fight for the oppressed and struggling. To stand up against the forces of darkness.
We, who believe, praise, and worship Jesus, must live by pioneering a new worldview and a new path according to Matthew 2:12; ‘And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their county by another route.’ You have to live a life of “going back home in a different way” away from the thoughts of empire, class, authority, and power fights. We have considered greed, the joy of the world, and the enjoyment of the world, and owning something as true joy of life. However, after knowing who Jesus is, we must feel joy in humility, sharing, being together, standing next to the person in need, standing next to the underprivileged, and sharing Jesus’ love.
-Jooeun Kim, Presbyterian Church of Korea
Prayer
God of life and love, we have just ventured past the Christmas season. As we recall your birth, death and resurrection, help us also not to forget your love and desire to see us whole and to set us free. You have shown us through your baptism, that you want us to be transformed into something that would bring forth new life, a life of dignity and reflection of our habits and action towards each other. We are challenged to do great and wonderful things for you. Bless us all, and continue to walk with us as we hold you near to our hearts. To follow you, to be led by you is our desire. Amen.