A Christmas Letter from St. Matthew's Zebabdeh, Israel

Dear Brothers and Sister in Christ’s One Family,

 Greetings and Love to you in the name of our Lord; Himself our incarnated Love, peace, and hope.

I send you the Greetings of your brothers and sisters at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Zababdeh.  Believing in the One Family of Jesus Christ, their Greetings are sent to their Family “in Christ”. Wishing you, your families, and communities a Blessed Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.

We believe that Christmas is not simply the remembrance of the Event that took place 2000 years ago. It is an Event that we continue to live every day with the incarnated love of God present in the hearts and lives of the believing community. It is  an Event that is lived as a spiritual message in our life today: in the Liturgy, in the life of the community, in the life of the poor, the marginalized, the weak, the oppressed, and those deprived of human rights and freedom.

At Christmas, we celebrate with all creation not the nativity but the incarnation. The incarnation is an on-going process of salvation, while the nativity is the once-for-all-historical event of Bethlehem. We do not really celebrate Christ’s ‘birthday,’ remembering something that happened long ago. We celebrate the stupendous fact of the incarnation, God entering our world so thoroughly that nothing has been the same since. The eternal God comes into the flesh and blood of humanity. The Good News is that the God of Mercy has come into the history of humanity to bring us perfect peace. For the peace of mind and heart and soul that the world cannot give.  God continues to take flesh in our midst, in the men and women and children who form His body today. And the birth we celebrate is not just the past historical event but Christ’s continuing birth in his members, accomplished by the power of the Spirit. What we celebrate is our redemption in Christ and the transformation of all creation by the presence of the Divine in our midst.

We send our greetings from a Land that witnessed the event of the Incarnation. A land that is Holy because God chose it to be a blessing to all the nations: to be a message of Salvation, hope, and a continuing ministry of self-giving as we are joined in friendship and sincere connection with the ever living Body of Christ.  We share our Joy with all our brothers and sisters because Christmas is a Joy Shared with others.

Our Christmas Greetings this year includes a call for prayer: We ask you all to share this prayer with us, to share it with your family, friend, and congregation.

God of Love, You came to Earth and took the flesh and blood of our humanity, to bring us to meet your Divinity. We acknowledge this Divine Love in Our Midst as we continue to share This Good News to all the people around us.

'We thank you for St. Matthew’s Community and Ministry, for the love that unites us,  for the peace that prevails in our midst, for the hope with which we expect the morrow, for the work, the health, the food and bright skies which make our lives a delightful message for our people and friends in all parts of the earth.'

Give us, O God, the vision which can see your love in the world in spite of human failure; Give us the faith to trust your goodness in spite of our ignorance and weakness. Give us the knowledge that we may continue to pray with understanding hearts. And show us what each one of us can do to bring forward the day of universal peace where, freedom and everlasting peace  reign supreme, hunger disappears, violence is diminished, and people come to the One Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son.

This Christmas, We pray that Your Holy Star grow every year more bright, and send its glorious beams afar to fill the world with light; We pray that Our Christmas may be  not purchasing gifts but sharing your gifts, making us present to others as we should be present for others.

      We pray that Our Christmas may be a time of Joy not to preserve for ourselves but to share with our neighbors displaying Christ’s light to all around us. We pray that Christmas, the one day of the year, carries real hope and promise for all our People in Zababdeh, for all the people in The West Bank, for all the people in the Holy land, and for all the people all over the Sea and land.

      We Pray that we may grow big of heart and broad of mind; to be as kind and as thoughtful of others as we know how to be; to be as gracious and generous as we would like always to be;  to be as cheerful as we share with others the Joy and happiness of our times; To be a true wish for others as we wish others a Merry Christmas; To be forgiving to those who hurt, persecute, dehumanize us; to be  a gift of love to others witnessing to the strong promises of God. To be  the 'glory to God,' 'good will to humans,' and 'joy to the world.'; to be 'peace on earth' for those who accept it and live in unity with God's will.

Dear Baby Jesus:

-          Help us to remember that Christmas is a human on duty tending sheep, or a machine, who senses the upward call and stops to worship.

-         Help us to acknowledge that Christmas is a tall green tree which serves as a festive altar for any household which discovers the true meaning behind it all.

-        Help us to remember that Christmas is a ringing bell calling a distraught humanity to gladness and hope.

-         Help us to acknowledge that Christmas is an altar to which we can bring our heartache for comfort, our lostness for guidance, and our sin for forgiveness.

-          Help us to remember that Christmas is the sparkle of anticipation and the steady light of faith in the eyes of a little child as he hears the old, old story.

-          Help us to remember that Christmas is the shining star of hope in the sky of all mankind.

-          Help us to remember that Christmas is more than words can tell,
for it is a matter for the heart to receive, believe and understand.

-          Help us Lord to know that Christmas is more than a time of music, merriment and mirth; it is a season of meditation, mangers and miracles.

-          Help us to remember that Christmas is more than a time of gaiety, greenery and gifts; it is a season of wonder, and worship.

-          Help us to acknowledge that Christmas is more than a time of tinsel, trees and toys; it is a season of preparation, prayers and peace.

-          Help us to remember that Christmas is more than a time of festivities, family and friends; it is a season of generosity, gladness and gratitude.

-          Help us to acknowledge that Christmas is more than a time of carols, cards and candy; it is a season of dedication, direction and decision.

-          Help us Lord to remember that Christmas is more than Santa, stockings and surprises; it is Christ, care and concern.

In Christ,
Rev. Fadi Diab
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church