Why did Jesus come as a baby?

Jesus was with God when the universe was created. He was the instrument of creation of everything, including mankind, with whom he wanted to have a relationship, and on whom he could bestow his love and affection. However, man abused the relationship and rebelled and in the process became lost to God’s companionship and his […]

Why do we celebrate Christmas in December?

The winter celebration of the birth of Christ dates first appears on a Roman calendar in 336 AD, centuries after the event took place. Scholars believe that there may have been an attempt to co-opt an existing pagan festival that marked the coming of the light after the shortest day of the year. Clues in […]

Why don’t all Christians celebrate Advent?

Advent is a time to reflect upon the birth of Jesus more than 2,000 years ago and to prepare for his return. It commemorates the eagerly anticipated arrival of a Messiah promised by God to Abraham, Moses and prophets of Israel for millennia. But it is also a time for Christians on the other side […]

Why do some Christians celebrate Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, a 40-day period in the church calendar that culminates on Easter Sunday. This 40-day period in many church traditions is a time when Christians gather for corporate confession and individual repentance. At the end of the service, priests, pastors, or church leaders place ashes, in the sign of […]

Is Valentine’s Day a Christian Holiday?

No, but until 1969 the church honored a third century Christian priest named Valentinus with a Feast Day on February 14–the date he was martyred by the Roman ruler, Claudius II, in 269 AD. Though historians cannot verify all the stories of the life of St. Valentine, there is consensus about the miracle that God […]

Who were the “Wise Men” who visited baby Jesus?

In Matthew’s account of the life of Jesus we read the familiar account of wise men or magi visiting Jesus and his parents in a home in Bethlehem. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one […]

Should the birth of Jesus be celebrated in December?

The winter celebration of the birth of Christ dates first appears on a Roman calendar in 336 AD, centuries after the event took place. Scholars believe that there may have been an attempt to co-opt an existing pagan festival that marked the coming of the light after the shortest day of the year. Clues in […]

Why was Jesus born out of wedlock?

The Bible explains what is known as the “virgin birth”. Mary, the mother of Jesus, became pregnant not through a man, but through a supernatural act of God. The story is related in the account of the life of Jesus written by Matthew, one of his disciples. Matthew’s book is written specifically to tell the […]

Has Thanksgiving lost its meaning?

For many, Thanksgiving is a day for overeating and football followed by a mad dash for Black Friday specials. Stores are decorated for Christmas moments after the Halloween stuff comes down and Thanksgiving is mostly “celebrated” by on-air personalities who talk about the rising cost of Thanksgiving dinner and the number of people who will […]

Why do we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

It depends on what you mean by celebrate. There may be little harm in drinking green beer, eating corned beef and cabbage, and dancing an Irish jig, but a better celebration would be remembering who Patrick was and what he did for God. Most people know that March 17th is a day for celebrating Irish […]