For the second year in a row, we’re unable to physically gather during Advent, a time of contemplation leading up to Christmas. While it’s tempting to blame Northern Health, we as Christians need to stop scapegoating everyone else and start looking at our part in this.
More often than not, I’m embarrassed to call myself a Christian, not because of its association with Jesus, the Christ, but because of its association with so many harmful and selfish practices. When did we lose the story of Jesus as the one who gave himself away for the world, the one who put himself last in service of others? How did we forget that it isn’t about me and mine?
Some churches have implemented vaccine passports, masks and social distancing for worship attendance in order to keep people safe. For those of us who have, it’s hard not to look at other churches and cringe. This is especially true when Christians start saying, “They’re persecuting us.” It isn’t persecution!
We just aren’t getting the special treatment we had in the past because of our power. The Christian domination of culture is over and I for one am grateful. We can finally get on with being the church, being Christians, Christ followers, people that put the welfare of others before ourselves.
Pastor Fleming Blishen
Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church
Prince George
