On Christmas

 Most Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25, but some do on January 6. The former follow the Gregorian calendar (named after Pope Gregory XIII) while the latter follow the Julian calendar (named after Julius Caesar). However, for everyday use, it is the Gregorian calendar that is now used globally. Interestingly, for events before 1582, the convention is to use the Julian calendar; and for events after 1582, it is to use the Gregorian calendar. So when we say Jesus was born in 5 BC or the crucifixion took place on April 3, 33 AD or Alexander the Great invaded India in 326 BC, we are using the Julian calendar. But when we say WW II ended in 1945, we are using the Gregorian calendar. The shift from Julian calendar to Gregorian calendar became necessary as the former no longer synchronized with the true solar year and therefore was getting out of sync with the seasons.

So despite differences in the date of celebration, Christians all over the world believe that Christmas is about God becoming human. Incarnation. But this is a one time event. If Christ was crucified on April 3, 33 AD, his resurrection was on April 5, 33 AD. The next time God returns, he won't do that as a human; he would do that as the glorious and majestic Lord.

But in his first coming, i.e incarnation, he was born in a manger and in a humble family. It was the shepherd that first received audience with the baby Jesus. Even before Jesus was born, Jesus' mother sang a song that looked forward to a future where the humble would be lifted up and the hungry filled (Lk. 1:52-53). And when Jesus reached around thirty, he began his 'work' by announcing that he was going to proclaim recovery of sight for the blind, release of the oppressed.... The point is that Jesus was deeply concerned for the poor and the less privileged.

Given the understanding that Jesus loved the poor and the weak so much, earliest Christians living in the Roman empire used to pick up discarded children from dung heaps who were left to die by their parents who would not raised physically disabled children. From time to time they would also pay to the slave master for the freedom of the slaves. These actions were driven by the conviction that God would want them to do these. Well, over the years, some people or rather many people lost this vision. So there were Christians who even owned slaves. It didn't register to them perhaps that slavery was an assault on human-ness; that human-ness which Jesus himself embraced. At the same time, politician like William Wilberforce, informed by the Bible, toiled for decades to ensure that slave-trading was abolished. And few centuries before this, monk like Telemachus went about preaching that gladiatorial game be banned, paying the price for his message with his own life which also led to the game being banned.

Today when Christians of certain stripes endorse white supremacy, Jesus would be appalled by such attitude. When certain Christians in India practice caste based discrimination, that is nothing short of heresy. The message of Christmas demolishes such discrimination.

Even today there are also many Christians who strive to remain faithful to teaching of Jesus in their own context. These people reach out to the poor with 'bags of rice'; these people reach out to the sick with medicines; these people reach out the underprivileged with education. These are ways of showing love.

Christmas is about God becoming human so that we human may have an "abundant life". And the application for the followers of Jesus is this: Christmas is about us incarnating into the lives of the vulnerable and the needy so that they may have an "abundant life".

Mutual Fund

 

This is a good video to learn about Mutual Fund for beginners

Lyrics of Justified by Faith

 Therefore, being justified by faith

We have peace with God, 

Through our Lord Jesus Christ

Because the love of God is shed abroad in our heart

By the Holy Ghost 

Which is given, which is given

unto us, to us, unto us. 

Chuwi Chuwi Chuwi oom baba

Aaya ya ya ya ya ya

la la la la la la 

la la la la la la

la la la la la la 

la la unto to us. 

(This chorus is based on Romans 5:1 & 5 of Kings James Version)

Chapter 4 of John Rawl's Political Liberalism

In Chapter 4 of his book "Political Liberalism", John Rawls aims to explore the issue of political stability in a liberal democratic society. Rawls argues that political stability can be achieved in a liberal society by adopting a political conception of justice that is suitable for a pluralistic society.

Rawls suggests that a political conception of justice is necessary in a pluralistic society because it allows people to come to a common understanding of justice, without requiring that they all share the same comprehensive moral or religious doctrines or worldviews. This means that people with different beliefs can still work together to create a just society, as long as they can agree on a set of basic principles that form the basis of justice.

Rawls argues that political stability requires that citizens have a sense of political justice, which can only be achieved if the basic principles of justice are publicly recognized and accepted by all citizens. This requires a public and ongoing dialogue about justice, and a willingness to compromise and make adjustments to the principles of justice as new challenges arise.

Rawls also discusses the role of public reason in a liberal society. He argues that public reason is essential for political stability because it allows citizens to engage in a common public dialogue about justice, and helps to ensure that political decisions are made on the basis of principles that are publicly acceptable.

Overall, Rawls emphasizes the importance of developing a political conception of justice that is suitable for a pluralistic society, and fostering a sense of political justice among citizens through ongoing public dialogue and the use of public reason. 

Chapter 3 of Political Liberalism

 

Chapter 3 of John Rawls' "Political Liberalism" explores the idea of a "freestanding" political conception of justice. Rawls underscores that this conception should be independent of comprehensive religious, philosophical, or moral doctrines, and should instead be based on a shared political idea of justice that all citizens can reasonably accept. He further underlines that this idea must be formulated in a way that is compatible with a diverse and pluralistic society, and should provide a basis for public reason and political cooperation among citizens. Rawls also asserts that a political conception of justice should include basic liberties and rights, and should be structured in a way that enables citizens to pursue their own goals and values while respecting the rights and liberties of others. Rawls' aim in this chapter is to provide a framework for a just and stable political order that can be acceptable to all citizens, regardless of their comprehensive beliefs or worldviews. One of the concerns of Rawls that can be observed in this chapter is that social and political minorities are not discriminated against by the will and concerns of the majority, and that the minorities have as much liberties and rights as the majority communities do. 

Chapter 4 is here. 

A Gospel sonnet

 Behold, dear friends, the Word of God above,

Whose grace and mercy doth endure always,

In every trial, every test of love,

He gives us strength to sing His holy praise.

His Word, like shining light in darkness,

leads the lost and wandering souls to righteousness.

With gentle hand, it sows the sacred seeds,

And brings the peace that calmeth all distress.

The Lord, who loved us with a love so true,

bear our sins upon the cross with pain,

And rose again, victories and anew,

That we might share in His eternal reign.

So let us trust in Him and follow still,

And by His grace, our hearts with joy shall fill.