Advent Twelve - Christ for All Nations

 12) Iran

No room at the Inn
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King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores. 2 And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.  Book of Esther

We know the hero of this story is Esther.  Many times in the Jewish bible, the people of Israel faced annihilation.  The powerful Persian emperor was an unwitting party to this.  How was he to know the significance of  these vanquished  people.  Courage and selflessness on both the party of Mordecai and his niece Esther saved an entire people.

Purim, the festival that remembers this act reminds me that there is another selfless act to look forward to.  The coming of Jesus brings us hope; our link with people in high places.

PRAYER:   We honour the people of Iran, and their place in our history.  We pray your blessing be upon them.

Synagogue in Isfahan

Armenian cathedral in Isfahan

Advent Eleven - Christ for all Nations

 11) Israel

The New Jerusalem
Credit: Wikipedia

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Matthew 23

Jesus frets over the state of Jerusalem.

Israel holds a special place in Britain.  I was struck by this today as Rabbi Mervin spoke on 'Thought for the Day'.  He spoke eloquently about the predicament of Israel.  But I thought the opposite narrative would not be tolerated for Palestine.  Even in our secular country, Israel holds a special place.

Across this country, church's have in their windows depictions of the Holy Land.  This small country on the far east side of the Mediterranean still holds a position other similar sized countries, such as Lebanon or Cyprus do not.  The Christmas story is told in a time of upheaval. Israel remains on the edge.  A land that appears always to be stressed.  Never settled and peaceful.  We pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

PRAYER:  We pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and all those who strive for peace in our time.

Advent Ten - Christ for All Nations

 10) India

British Museum 18th Century Mogul Nativity
Credit:  BBC

 28 They sailed to Ophir and brought back 420 talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon. 1 King 9

Solomon's temple to the Lord drew on the wealth of Ophir, (which is derived from the Coptic for India).  But the location of Ophir is not really known.  The kingdom of Xerxes is a better reference.  The start of Esther this is said to stretch as far as India (or Hodu).

There is nothing in the Bible that says St Thomas went to India. Stories of St Thomas however do appear to go back a long way.  Here is a link to a discussion in Catholic Café.

Now India is thriving in all areas.  The believers are amazing from ever quarter.  

PRAYER:  May wisdom and creativity bless the world through the people of India.

Jemini Roy 1950

Advent Nine - Christ for All Nations

 9) Spain (Iberia)

Fin de Noche-Buena, by Francisco Ortego and Bernardo Rico, 1858
Credit shannonselin.com

I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. Romans 15 vs 24

This is a wonderfully intriguing message in Paul's letter to the Romans.  Paul is under house arrest in Rome, the epicentre of the known world.  He will have heard about the goings on in all the provinces.  Iberia took his interest, though we understand he never got there.  He had a big vision.  Let us also keep a big vision, which looks beyond our small world.  I love the fact that even in little (Ed- surely Great!) Faringdon, many people from around the world appear, as if by magic.  Each has a purpose and is not forgotten.  

PRAYER:  We pray that Spain will continue to be in Your heart.  You were there before Paul even thought of the trip.

The picture?  It is of Christmas eve (the most holy part of the festival to may Catholic nations), where everyone is exhausted and asleep, and the cats finish the food.

Advent Eight - Christ for All Nations

 8) Greece

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.    1 Corinthians 1 verse 22

Some people are suspicious of everything, and hold back.  Others are open and receptive.  They love new things and dive into new discoveries, but their experience does not last.  Still others are able to see the hand of the Creator.  They see through 'so called' wisdom and academic argument.  For us today, this is our materialistic philosophy that says miracles do not exist, and 'religion' is a comfort to explain the unexplainable.  For me, I say the miracle that I know beyond question, is that I am loved, have a purpose, and need not worry (though surrounded by worries).  Also that I start from the perspective of knowing my Creator, just as I knew my father, except that my Creator is alive and with me daily, where as my father is no longer alive.  I do not question my father, and I do not question my Creator.

PRAYER:  May the Greeks, who's nation created the psyche of Europe, and afar, know the presence of the Creator, and given themselves to this wisdom.

Advent Seven - Christ for All Nations

 7) Ethiopia

Credit LOJS.com

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
    and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
    Who can speak of his descendants?
    For his life was taken from the earth.”

34 The man asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the man went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the man did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Ashdod and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Is it not a miracle that the peoples of the mountainous and isolated kingdom of Ethiopia knew about the Jewish scripture and sent people to collect it, and bring it home?  It shows me that the truth within the Hebrew writings was already speaking to the world around about.  If you want to know the truth.  If you seek it, you will not only find it, but it will be given to you miraculously, in a way that will ensure that doubts cease.   

PRAYER:  May the people of Ethiopia have a great understanding about the purpose and meaning of life.  May we hear them speak.

Advent Six - Christ for All Nations

 6) Egypt

Credit The Coptist.com

10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. 11 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”

14 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. 15 And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. 16 He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

17 But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. 18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20 Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had. Genesis 12

Egypt was the great powerhouse south of the Holyland.  From the beginning of the biblical account, it has always had a strong and significant presence.  It is a place of refuge, but not a benign force as we read.

My thought is that we are like people who have had a million pounds put in our bank account, but we forget this.  We don't need to beg, or make things up.  Our Creator is with us and  helps us negotiate the complexities and risks around us. Abraham and Sarah once again drew on their own intuition, rather than look to the Creator of all things.

PRAYER:  May the people of Egypt continue to be central to your purpose.  May Egypt be a place of refuge to many.