Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all! Blessings!

Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25th?

Well, I hope everyone is doing well and getting ready for the holidays. So, why is Christmas celebrated on December 25th? What I have heard in the past was that this day was nine months after the Feast of the Annunciation, which commemorated Jesus’ conception. I don't know all the details now, but for some reason we could calculate this since Elizabeth had conceived five months before Mary. Anyhow, I will stop here because this post isn't about me speculating. I simply want to share an article on the subject by Andrew McGowan, who is Dean and President of the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale and McFaddin Professor of Anglican Studies at Yale Divinity School. The article is titled: How December 25 Became Christmas, and it was published on December 13, 2022, by Biblical Archeology Society. Read the full article at the link below.

How December 25 Became Christmas - Biblical Archaeology Society

Reference:

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/how-december-25-became-christmas/?mqsc=E4148790&dk=ZE24D0ZF0&utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=BHDA%20Week%20in%20Review&utm_campaign=12_17_22_WIR_Sling_Bullet_with_Greek

Is Satan a son of God?

Based on the title, the question is Satan a son of God will be addressed. I will be using the NRSV Bible and attempt to be brief.  Job 1:6 reads as follows:

One day the heavenly beings[a] came to present themselves before the Lord, and the accuser[b] also came among them.(E)....

Footnotes

a. 1.6 Heb sons of God

b. 1.6 Heb the satan

Hence, see the foregoing footnotes. Regardless, let us proceed. First Chronicles 21:1 in the NRSV reads as follows:

Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count the people of Israel.

Allow me to go further. Job 38:7 in the NRSV reads as follows:

when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings[a] shouted for joy?(A)....

Footnotes

• 38.7 Heb sons of God

 

Conclusion 1: the Book of Job seems to consider Satan to be a son of God based on the original Hebrew. A personal relevant question of mine often, although I usually do not try to mix text from other books to make a case is: are the sons of God referenced in Job the same types mentioned in Genesis 6:1-2, which reads as follows in the NRSV:

When people began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that they were fair, and they took wives for themselves of all that they chose.

Conclusion 2: the translation in English used is the word "sons." The English word "beings" is not used. I cannot provide anything conclusive based on this NRSV translation alone at this time; however, if indeed the sons of God in Job are the same as the sons of God in Genesis, the implications are huge. The original question, although unanswered, is one worthy of a pursuit for an answer.

I hope you enjoyed reading. Blessings!

 

 

Reference:

NRSV Bible

On mortals

As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.

- Psalm 103: 15 -16, NRSV 

The empathy alarms

Yes, there are many who did the soup kitchen thing 5 years ago and are still sounding the empathy alarm. Of course, that's fine if you don't use it to judge others. Jesus, however, supposedly said the following.

“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, (Matthew 6:2-3) ….

I would assume we all catch Jesus’ drift on this. Obviously, keeping it quite on acts of charity is probably the best route. This isn’t saying not to be charitable, but it is saying don’t be like hypocrites when doing so. 

Hope you enjoyed reading. Blessings!

 

 

Reference:

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

On American resilience

We often hear that Americans are very resilient. The most catastrophic thing could perhaps happen to us, and we seem to shake it off, and move on soon after. That's seemingly true; however, I think there are other possible factors which create that appearance.

Americans, also, work very hard. We are always on the go. In a way, this fact justifies our economic prosperity. The thing is we seem to barely have time for much. Sometimes I think that podcasts and audio books are so popular these days because it's something we can do or cram while commuting to and from places of work or school. I am not saying we don't read, but we probably don't have much time. And reading is exceedingly important. I believe reading more really well written material helps us write better ourselves, plus it's a very much needed brain exercise, especially as one ages. A close friend says that a person who doesn't write well, probably can't think well either. Back to resilience, however.

I don't doubt we are really that much resilient. I believe we just don't leave much time in our day for much else. Sometimes we barely get enough sleep, and sleep deprivation isn't good for our health. Of course, pharmaceutical companies and those who work for them probably don't mind. I am just writing down my thoughts, but I think we may need to slow down a little bit. Perhaps we should, as they say, stop and smell the flowers, or at least look at them. Maybe we should try to attend church, mosque, or temple, at least once a week, if we don't have that practice. I am just tossing out ideas. You can go to the park or beach and meditate...whatever works for you. I am done here, but think about it. Blessings!

On prayer requests

Don't think you are sometimes asking for too much when you pray. Joshua once asked for the Sun to stand still at Gibeon, and for the Moon to stop in the valley of Aijalon, and it says it happened. Some say he got a solar eclipse, but I don't know, he probably got what he asked for.