Giovani´s Text

Christmas celebration usually is just like a day for giving and receiving gifts. We celebrate the feast and forget Jesus. Being a Christian feast, Christmas´ meaning is grounded in a very simple idea: God created us. As children we are images and likeness of Him, and We will be happy only if we relate as a family, loving each other and always releasing forgiveness. Releasing forgiveness is very important because if we believe that we are a family, we  will always have to relate as brothers and children of the same father.

Despite the great majority of  Christians agree with this in theory, in practice it is not what we observe.

The Bible teaches us that the gift that  pleases a father or a mother most is to see their children happy and united. And Christ warns us if we go to the altar of God to offer Him our best but if we're annoyed with our brother, our offering will be empty and meaningless. Christ tells us to go first seek reconciliation with our brother and then take the offer.

Of course, we have our reasons, and we are always covered with reason to give back to someone, or because we were offended, because somehow the other one did something to us. And then we put ourselves in a comfortable altar of victims.

But if we desire peace in our hearts, it is very important to seek reconciliation with our neighbors.

And the longer we delay it, the more we will bring to ourselves consequences such as diseases, etc..

Then I wonder... Why must I forgive? To be generous and nice?

 I say no. We must forgive ourselves more than others. Forgiveness cleanses us from negativity, hatred, rancor that poison us and blur our spirit. When we do not forgive, we have the illusion that if we attack and blame someone we will feel free and comfortable.

But in fact, according to the scientists that study human behavior, we are the biggest losers when we keep hurt feelings. If we knew the evil we do to ourselves, we would "gather our stones" more quickly (John 8.7). And instead of throwing them , we would use them to to rebuild, for example, a house (GENESIS 28:22), a church ( Matthew 16:18). 

 In the field of actions we could say that people are quite correct and reasonable to apply the rules and respect the laws of society. But in the emotional field when it comes to relationships it is another reality. Everything is permitted: envy, anger, jealousy, curses, judgment, desire for revenge and destruction.

 And then when people feel tired, depressed, sick and reality seems to be trampling all, people think it's because of bad luck, and that God forgot them.

This is wrong: everything is connected (we are the children of a living God).

Everything we do has consequences. Good thoughts and well spoken words illuminate and warm life. While hardly spoken words bring everything that is negative, so that they can destroy.

So, it is what Christ taught us, and Christmas reminds us: if we forgive, we are forgiven; if we love, we spread the seed of the fruit that surely we´ll reap.

The spirit of Christmas (the birth of Christ) opens us a door to liberate forgiveness: to our wife/husband, to our neighbors, our friends. In this way, holy as we are, we will be able to bring our tithes and offerings to God with love.