H e p p n e rG a z e tte -T im e s , H eppner, O regon
W ednesday, D ecem ber 1 8 ,2 0 1 3
-S E V E N
.. .from area churches
The Carols o f Christmas:
Good News of Great Joy
How the Songs o f the Season Leave People without
Excuse
“Behold, I bring you
good news of a great joy...;
for to you is bom this day...
a Saviour, who is Christ the
Lord” (Lk 2:10-11).
This “today” which
resounds in the Bible
does not refer only to the
event which took place
two thousand years ago
and which changed the
history of the world. It also
refers to the Holy Night for
which we are preparing.
The celebration of the
solemnity of Christmas,
even in the farthest reaches
of the five continents, there
resound these angelic words
heard by the shepherds
of Bethlehem: “Behold, I
bring you good news of a
great joy... ; for to you is
bom this day... a Saviour,
who is Christ the Lord” (Lk
2 : 10 - 11 ).
Jesus was born in a
stable, as the Gospel of
Luke recounts, “because
there was no room for them
in the inn” (Lk 2:7). Mary,
his Mother, and Joseph
had not found a welcome
in any house in Bethlehem.
Mary had to lay the Saviour
of the world in a manger,
the only cradle available
for the Son of God made
Everywhere you go this
time of year you hear the
songs of the season. Sure,
you have your Christmas
songs about Santa, Frosty,
Jingle Bells, and Deck the
Halls, but you also have the
great carols of Christmas,
many o f which we just
sing. A few years ago while
shopping for groceries
between Thanksgiving and
Christmas, I made it a point
to pay attention to what
songs were being played as
well as how people seemed
to be reacting to the songs.
The first things I noticed
was that many knew at least
half of the songs played
were Christmas carols with
religious themes. I also
noticed that many of the
people either consciously
or subconsciously were
singing along or humming
the tunes as they did their
shopping. I would like to
consider a couple of lines
from only a few songs to
determine my point. We
want to look at two things
1) the Advent, the birth or
identity of the Child in the
manger, 2) the atoning work
of Christ on the cross for
our sins.
Advent
“ Hark! The Herald
A ngels S in g .” P lease
consider verse two: “Christ
by highest heav’n adored:
C hrist, the everlasting
Lord! Late in time behold
him come, offspring of the
Virgin’s womb. Veiled in
flesh the God-head see: hail
the incarnate Deity, Pleased
as man us to dwell, Jesus,
our Emmanuel.”
“ O C om e, A ll Ye
F aith fu l,” also clearly
identifies who Jesus Christ
wap. Please consider \Sfse
six: “Yea, Lord, we great
thee, born this happy
morning, Jesus to Thee
be all glory given; Word
of the Father, now in flesh
appearing!” The words
found in these two songs
summarize much about
who Jesus Christ is and why
we celebrate Christmas.
“Late in time behold him
come, off-spring o f the
Virgin’s womb.”
In the book of Galatians
4:4 - “when the fullness of
time was come, God sent
forth his Son made of a
woman...” Jesus Christ was
bom at precisely the correct
time in the correct manner
(virgin bom) according to
prophecy.
“ Veiled in flesh the
God-head see; hail the
incarnate Diety,” “Word
of the father, now in flesh
appearing!”
Philippines 2:5-7 tells
that Jesus Christ the eternal
son of God left his position
in glory and made himself
of no reputation by taking
upon himself the likeness
of men. Hebrews 2:14 tells
us that Jesus Christ was
the incarnate Deity. As it
says in the song “Mary
Did You Know” to look
into the face of a baby is
the closest anyone has ever
come to beholding the face
of God. “Pleased as man
with us to dwell, Jesus, our
Emmanuel.”
We read in Matthew
1:21 -23 - Emmanuel means
God with us. Anyone who
sings these lines gives
mental assent to who Jesus
Christ was.
Atonement
C onsider the third
verse of “Hark! The Herald
Angels Sing”: “Hail the
heaven born Prince o f
Peace! Hail the Sun of
Righteousness! Light and
Life to all He brings, risen
with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays his glory by,
bom that we no more may
die, Bom to raise us from
the earth, bom to give us
second birth.”
Pay close attention
to words of verse two of
“ What Child is T h ii?”
“Why lies He in such mean
estate where ox and ass are
feeding? Good Christian
fear, for sinners here the
silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce
Him through, the cross be
borne for me, for you, Joy,
Joy, the Word made flesh,
the Babe, the Son of Mary!”
These lyrics penetrate
right to the heart o f the
true meaning of Christmas.
Yes, Jesus Christ was bom
as a baby. Yes that was a
monumental event in world
history, but He came so that
he could:
-Bear the cross for me
and you
-Be raised from the
earth to give us second birth
-Purchase mankind by
shedding His blood upon
the cross for our sins.
We read in Galatians
4:4-5 that the reason He
came into the world was
so that He could redeem
us by paying the price.
Philippians 2:8 also reminds
us that Jesus became our
substitute. He took the
punishment and suffered
the wrath of almighty God
for us so that we would
not have to. And further,
Colossians 1:14 shows
us that the “First Noel”
states we have redemption
through the blood of Jesus
Christ.
Finally, as the world
continues to spiral out of
control, have you ever
given any thought to the
meaning of Christmas? The
Son of God became one of
the sons of men, so that the
sons of men might become
the Sons of God! Won’t
you please receive the truth
at this time of the year, a
true Christmas gift eternal
life? If you have never
trusted Jesus Christ, won’t
you please today before its
everlasting too late? The
Carols of Christmas contain
enough truth about who
Jesus Christ was and why
He came to hold those who
sing them accountable.
If you have already
received the free gift of
eternal life I challenge you
to appreciate afresh or in
a new way the carols of
our Christ this Christmas
season and, if you have
not, today is the day of
S a lv a tio n — c all upon
Emmanuel—Whosoever
shall call upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved!
Pastor Dean Antonucci
Amazing Grace
Fellowship
www.cbec.cc
WASHINGTON DC YOUTH TOUR
APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE NOW
At CBEC, we take great pride in highlighting the value of cooperative membership to children. After all,
they are our members-in-training. We provide a variety of programs that benefit young people, from
safety demonstrations to sponsoring youth activities across our five-county service territory.
We are seeking applications for a program we are particularly proud o f -th e Washington Youth Tour.
During the annual Washington Youth Tour, more than 15,000 high school students from across the
country descend on Washington, D.C. to learn about government, history and the role of electric
man. This is the reality of
the Lord’s Nativity. Every
year we return to it: thus
we rediscover it, thus we
experience it every time
with unchanged wonder.
The birth of the Messiah!
It is the central event in the
history of humanity. The
whole human race was
awaiting it with a vague
presentiment; the Chosen
People awaited with explicit
awareness.
Saint Paul speaks of
this New Covenant in the
Letter to Titus, “The grace
of God has appeared for the
salvation of all men” (Tit
2:11). Precisely this grace
enables humanity to live
“awaiting our blessed hope,
the appearing of the glory of
our great God and Saviour
Jesus Christ,” who “gave
himself for us to redeem
us from all iniquity and to
purify for himself a people
of his own who are zealous
for good deeds” (Tit 2:14).
T he m y s t e r y o f
Christmas is fully reflected
the truth of his plan of
salvation for man and for
the world. It is not only man
who is to be saved, but all
creation is invited to sing
Mustang girls fail to take Hoop
Classic
in
overtime
A fter trav ellin g to
Warrenton last weekend
and winning the tournament
there, the Mustang girls’
basketball team stayed
closer to home for games
and had a win and two very
close losses for the week.
On Tuesday the team
went to Imbler and lost
by a score of 36-34. The
Mustangs never led in the
game but made it very close
and had a chance to win it
at the end. Heppner trailed
19-14 at half and 28-21
after three quarters. They
outscored Imbler 13-8 iri
the fourth quarter to tie the
score near the end of the
game. Imbler made two free
throws late to make the final
score 36-34.
Kelly Wilson led the
team in scoring with 18.
Blake Greenup had nine
points, Maddie Lindsay
five and Kayla Kindle
two. Kindle led the team
in rebounds with seven,
Li ndsay had six and
Greenup four. Micha Hintz
had five assists for the
Mustangs.
This past weekend the
team hosted the Heppner
Hoop Classic tournament.
They won their first game
with Arlington 57-20 but
lost in the championship
game to Crane 44-43 in
overtime.
Agai nst Arlington
the Mustangs raced out
to a 20-6 lead after one
quarter and led 35-12 at
halftime. Maddie Lindsay
led the team in scoring
with 13 points. Jessica
Kempkin had 12, Wilson
and Greenup both scored
Mustang Micha Hintz shuts out an Arlington player during
the Hoop Classic in Heppner last weekend. -Contributedphoto
10. Hintz had eight points,
Kindle four and Paige Grieb
two. Kempkin hauled in
12 rebounds, Lindsay 10
and Wilson five. Hintz and
Wilson had five steals each
for the game. It was a strong
showing for the Mustangs
against a young Honker
team that has a bright future
ahead of them.
In the championship
game, it was very close
throughout as Crane led
12-11 after one quarter
and Heppner led 19-18 at
halftime. Heppner led 27-
24 after three quarters and
the game ended 39-39 to
force the overtime period.
It was an exciting overtime
and the game could have
gone either way at the end.
Wilson led the team in
scoring with 17. Greenup
and Lindsay both had eight
points. Kempkin finished
with seven and Grieb had
three. Lindsay led the team
in rebounds with 12 and
Kempkin had 10. Wilson
cooperatives. CBEC is sending two high school juniors selected from the high schools in our service
territory. All expenses are paid (except spending money).
WE NOW OFFER
The next trip is June 12-19,2014. Applications are available from CBEC's website (www.cbec.cc).
Applications are due January 17,2014.
electrical service from CBEC
Applications are available now on the CBEC Website www.cbec.cc
YOUTH TOUR
Applications are due January 17,2014
>
2014 Washington Youth Tour is June 12-19
Contact Megan or David at the
Heppner Gazette-Times
541-676-9228 FAX: 541-676-9227
EMAIL: megan@rapldserve.net or davld@rapldserve.net
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grabbed six and Greenup
five. Hintz had five assists
for the game.
This weekend the
Mustangs have two league
games. They host the
Stanfield Tigers on Friday
and then travel to Pilot
Rock to take on the Rockets
on Saturday.
Th e Heppner
Gazette Tim es
188 W W illow
Heppner, O R
Washington DC Youth Tour
Open to all current high school juniors whose parents receive
to the Lord a new song, to
rejoice and to exult together
with all the nations of the
earth.
Christmas is forever,
not for just one day. For
loving, sharing, giving, are
the continuity of the spirit
of Christmas; it is not to put
away like bells and lights
and tinsel, in some box
upon a shelf.
The good you do for
others is good you do
yourself. Christ should be
in the centre of your entire
life. Merry Christmas.
God Bless,
Fr. Kumar Udagandla
St. Patrick's and St.
William s Catholic parishes
St. Patrick’s Schedule:
Tuesday, December 24
Christmas Vigil
8:30 p.m. - Christmas
Carols
9 p.m. - Candlelight
Procession, Blessing of
the Nativity Scene, Vigil
Mass
Wednesday, December 25
11 a.m. - Christmas Mass
St. William’s Schedule
Wednesday, December 25
8:45 a.m. — Blessing of
Nativity Scene, Christmas
Carols, Christmas Mass
AFTER HOURS
541-989-8545
CELL 541-561-5700
( 541 )
676-8229
david@
rapidserve.net
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