Happy Easter Sunday Y'all -- He Is Risen

An Inspirational Hanukkah Message Still Relevant Today

 

During the Hanukkah season in December of 1931, a Jewish Rabbi’s wife, Rachel Posner, photographed the family’s brass menorah sitting on the windowsill of their apartment home in the German northern port city of Kiel.

Opposite their home was the recently opened National Socialist Party’s regional headquarters with a large Nazi swastika flag hanging menacingly.

Rachel took the photo seen above of the menorah and its candles standing in defiance of the looming antisemitic threat beyond. When the camera's film was developed, she wrote those defiant words written in German on the back of the photo.

Less than two years later in 1933, just months after Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist Party came to power, Rachel Posner, her husband Rabbi Akiva Posner, and their three children: Avraham Chaim, Tova, and Shulamit, fled Germany for Palestine, taking their menorah with them as they built a new life.

Their family menorah still survives to this day and is currently on display at the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem, Israel.

Today, over 90 years later, the ugly specter of antisemitism continues to exist in this world in various forms; threatening God's Chosen People and challenging their faith. Yet, always remember the lesson of the menorah -- that the light will always outshine the darkness.

This post is dedicated to my friends and readers of Jewish faith across the world, wherever y'all are. Have a Chag Urim Sameach (Happy Festival Of Lights) this Hanukkah season, and may each of the eight nights of Hanukkah be filled with warmth and light. 

For Unto You A Child Is Born -- Merry Christmas Y'all

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth. 

To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David and the virgin's name was Mary.

And the angel came in unto her and said hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee; blessed art though among women. 

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary; for thou has found favour with God.  

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name, Jesus. 

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man. 

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 

And behold thy cousin Elisabeth she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
For with God nothing shall be impossible. 

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

And Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into the city of Judah. 

And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass that, when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. 

And she spake out with a loud voice and said blessed art though among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 

And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me.
For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ear, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 

And blessed is she that believed. For there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. 

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord. 

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God, my saviour. 

For he that is might hath done to me great things, and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 

He hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of  low degree. 

He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away....

And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 

And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (Because he was of the house and lineage of David.)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she would be delivered. 

And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. 

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around about them: and they were sore afraid.    

And the angel said unto them, fear not; for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign upon you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 

And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 

And it came to pass as the angels were gone away from them unto heaven the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. 

And when they had seen it they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 

                                                                                                             ~ Luke 1:26-53; Luke 2: 1-19 KJV

To all of my readers across the world -- especially my brothers and sisters in Christ -- I would like to wish each and every one of y'all a very Merry Christmas this holiday season.  

Happy Holy Week And Easter Sunday To All!

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”

~Isaiah 53: 3-7 (700 years BC)

In honor of Holy Week, this blogger would like to wish every one of my Christian friends, family and fellow travelers and Believers a Happy Good Friday and a Happy Easter Weekend.

  

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  
~John 3:16 

Happy Hanukkah To My Hebrew Friends

In honor of the first official day of Hanukkah, I would like to wish all my Jewish friends and blog followers a safe and blessed Hanukkah this holiday season. 

May y'all be blessed with prosperity and success this Hanukkah season and in the coming new year.  

Chag Urim Sameach - Happy Festival Of Lights. 

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik neir shel chanukah.

 Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah lights.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, she-asah nisim la-avoteinu, bayamim haheim, (u)baz'man hazeh.

 Praised are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors, in those days, at this season.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, shehecheyanu, v'kiyemanu, vehigi-anu laz'man hazeh.

Praised are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has kept us in life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season.

Advent Officially Begins

Today officially marks the first Sunday of Advent honored throughout Christian churches in Western Culture as the four weeks preparation until the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day.

The main symbol of the holiday is the Advent Wreath which traditionally holds four - or five - candles on a green wreath: three purple (or red) candles, one pink candle, and in many cases a white candle set in the middle. Each candle and the wreath itself symbolizes some important aspect of the Christians faith. 

The circle of the wreath: The Eternity of God. 
The evergreen wreath: Life & Immortality. 
The first candle: Hope. 
The second candle: Preparation.
The third candle: Joy.
The fourth (pink) candle: Love. 
The fifth (white) candle: Jesus Christ.
The five lit candles: The Light of the World. 

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea to
the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house
and the lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife,
who was with child. ~Luke 2: 4-5

To all my brothers and sisters in Christ, may all of y'all have a Blessed Advent and a Happy Holiday Season.