Our News.

Author: Memos Sakellariou

(Luke 2:10-11)

“And the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’

Christmas is more than just a baby born in Bethlehem – it is a global battle that concerns every Christian. This battle is about the clash of every hope against fears that undermine our hearts, thoughts, dreams, entire societies, and even nations. It is an internal battle that forces people to decide where to turn: towards their hopes or their fears?
Every Christmas, people tend to ignore the sounds of this battle, to shut out its intensity, its noise. What they want to do is to spend their Christmas quietly. However, this festive season is not only filled with hopes but unfortunately also with fear. Just as it began back then, in the dark alleys of Bethlehem.
Looking deeply into the battle of Bethlehem, we see hope and fear walking hand in hand:
We see the crowd, who came by the Emperor’s decree to Bethlehem to be registered, hoping that perhaps now they will be noticed, perhaps the wealth of the empire will be distributed based on the census and the needs of the people. At the same time, there is the fear that something sinister is hidden in the motive of the census, as the Romans remain harsh conquerors.
We see an honest couple with deep roots in Bethlehem: Mary and Joseph hoping to be accepted by relatives and fellow villagers as a good and moral couple. However, they are also very afraid that their own will not understand that all this they are experiencing has been caused by God Himself. What will people think of Joseph, who carries a pregnant woman to a village under such conditions?
We also see the wise men from the East, coming from afar full of hope. The star has guided them correctly, their calculations are correct. But suddenly the star disappears and their souls are filled with fear. They are no longer sure where they are going and question how correctly they have planned this journey. Did they make wrong estimates?
But Herod also lives between hope and fear of losing his position as king. Suddenly the Wise Men appear and ask him, “Where is the new king of the Jews?”. Then Herod is automatically filled with fear because he sees his throne threatened by a replacement.

The battle between hope and fear unfortunately continues to this day. Hope wishes for health, but the fear of COVID-19 has prevailed. The hope for a life with value and respect exists, but the fear of our evils fills us. The hope for true love and relationships is alive, but fear reminds us of some betrayal we experienced and we are terrified.
These days many of us want to live them like a fairy tale, where only beautiful and romantic things happen, only wishes are fulfilled, and evil and our fears have disappeared. Unfortunately, however, the battle is real and harsh, and we must stop hiding from it.
Nevertheless, we all find time to celebrate Christmas. Why? Because of a Hero. Our Hero is a baby, the baby of Bethlehem, who is also its hero. Amidst the battle between hope and fear, this baby, Jesus Christ, calls for a truce, a ceasefire! He Himself became the focal point and invites us to leave the battle and approach this baby with worship and gratitude.
Jesus makes it known to us that this battle is ultimately a war between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. He reveals to us that this battle unfolds in various fields: in our minds, in our hearts, in our emotions. Sometimes this battle unfolds even within the Church itself. Even if you believe you have solved your problem, be careful! The battle will continue and is ongoing.
However, Jesus Christ comes and reveals to us how we can win the battle, how we can find Hope and Peace. His plan is based on Love, Peace, Truth, Prayer, and Worship towards Him. If we remain in these, then the Lord Himself will fight our battles if we let Him.
Bethlehem is the place where Giants are slain. There David killed Goliath, even though he was so small and unarmed. If we let Jesus go before us, He will conquer our fears.
The battle of Bethlehem is His. Do not fight it alone.