Thoughts for the Day

But you, beloved, must remember the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; for they said to you, ‘In the last time there will be scoffers, indulging their own ungodly lusts.’ It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions. But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on some who are wavering; save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others ...

Benediction

Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

So ok, where on earth is the book of Jude to be found? No, it's not in the Old Testament, or the Apocrypha, it's the last book before the book of Revelation in the New Testament. It's not surprising if you can't remember for it is barely one page! I first learnt of it while attending my husband's Confirmation class in Cyprus in about 1967, for the Padre asked the group to learn the names of all the books in the Bible!

Luke in his Gospel describes Jude as the son of James, while the letter of Jude has him as the brother of James. It seems he is the same person as Thaddaeus, which may have been a last name. John's gospel identifies him as "Judas, but not Judas Iscariot" (John 14.22). However owing to the similarity of his name to that of Judas Iscariot, asking him to intercede in prayer in the early Church was seen as a final resort when all else failed. He became known, therefore, as the patron saint of lost causes.

At this time of the year as we approach Christmas we too are faced with 'scoffers', 'worldly people' and with those 'causing divisions'. One of the hard-line far-right groups in the UK run by Tony Robinson has also taken up the words "Put back Christ into Christmas" but their ideas are not consistent with a Christ who welcomed strangers and the dispossessed, and was himself a refugee in Egypt as a child*. Around 28.8% of the world's population are Christian, while 54% are Abrahamic faiths (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) believing in God. So this Christmas may each of us "have mercy on the waverers" and endeavour to put Jesus (rather than Santa) back into Christmas in our own lives. Let us remember that God gave us the greatest gift of all at Christmas - His Son, our Lord Jesus.

* I have changed the original title of this blog to reflect this thinking.

Gracious God,
as we prepare to gather with family and friends
at Christmas,
let Your presence fill our celebrations.
Keep our hearts united in love and kindness
to all people,
especially to the poor and the dispossessed.
May this season remind us of Your
endless mercy and faithfulness,
and the greatest gift of all, Your Son, Jesus.
Amen.