Act of Birth and Act of Annihilation
We welcome 2022 as we prepare the kickoff of the days of “the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” celebrated between January 18 and 25 of every year. Here is the word of MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs which he wrote for the introduction of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” Booklet for 2022 entitled “Act of Birth and Act of Annihilation”.
Dr. Michel E. Abs
Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches
The story of Christmas is to be taken in its significances, lessons, and symbols.
The story of Christmas tells us about the struggle between survival and extermination, between good and evil, between love and hate.
The story of Christmas tells us about the victory of a defenseless little child over a tyrant armed to the teeth, surrounded by armies.
The story of Christmas assures us that greed and clinging to power and interests are as old as the human race and will persist as long as it continues.
The story of Christmas tells us that with every newborn a star shines, guiding Magi, to come welcome the child with a renewed promise to life.
The story of Christmas is that evil always stalks good, and it comes to him with a thousand disguise to trap him.
The Christmas story, in its simplicity, teaches us lessons about the continuity of life and the ability of humankind to adapt to the changes of this world infested with evil, and one’s ability to survive, develop, and change the world.
But the deepest teaching of story of Christmas is about humility, sacrifice, and all the way to self-denial and redemption.
He, the incarnate, descended from his heights to be crucified as an atonement for human sins, those who did not and might have not learned the righteous ways in their daily life and goals. He, who descended from heaven to tell humanity enough is enough! He sacrificed His blood and soul and rebelled against death. He taught us divine lessons way before His birth.
How long have you waited for Him, O star? How long have you waited for Him, O nations?
He came among us in the humblest of ways, identifying himself with the wretched, the destitute, the heavy laden, the oppressed, and the refugees, challenging us to sympathize with them, embrace them, and offer them a helping hand.
How great you are, O star, you who guided the Magi to where life was born,
Levantine you are O star, you carry our identity and light the way to our invitees,
Hospitable you are O star, you welcome with your light whoever comes to be guided by His light,
Your light, O star, emulates the lights shone from the Levant since the dawn of history, spreading truth, goodness, and beauty to the world!
I ask you, O star, were you the one who lit the path of the pilgrims, or did you illuminate them with light of the newborn?
This year, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has a special character as it stems from the Middle East Council of Churches, from the Ecumenical body of the region in which the Lord was born.
What a great responsibility to belong to the land of the Lord, to the country in which He lived, and the people among whom He was incarnated.
This affiliation brings us not only responsibility, but also challenges and obligations.
The challenges are to survive on this holy land, where every inch is worth a martyr, and where our roots implore us not to leave them. Survival means we should treat each other well and become aware of the consequences of every decision we take and every step we make. It means we should know how to communicate the message of love to the others, whether or not they received it, and to master the understanding of the Lord’s signs, throughout His birth, journey, crucifixion, and finally His resurrection and conquest of annihilation.
Our obligations are to remain a wellspring of peace and a source of civilization, progress, and advancement, working for the good of humanity, as we did throughout the past two thousand years. Our obligations also require us to remain the salt of the earth and not allowing the spoilage of this salt, or its decay, or else humanity will be doomed. With our values, the values of our Lord, and through His peace, rebellion and redemption, we were able to give the world a lesson that determined the fate of human civilization.
O star that shines ever so bright, we see you shining every day, through the birth of a child, the smile of a mother, or the happiness of a father.
May the Creator help us make this world a good place for his creation, so it may have life, and may have it abundantly.