In this Christmas issue of Magnet, we have the review of two remarkable movies. Christmas Grace and Magdalena: Released from Shame – both representing the two faces of change – New Beginnings – that call for our attention. Christmas Grace urges us to become genuine, compassionate and forgiving people. Christmas is about love, laughter, forgiveness, openness, peace and the ability to go beyond, to take an extra step to reach out especially to those suffering and those marginalized by society. Mary the beloved Mother of Jesus and ours had to take many extra steps to ensure the basics for herself and for her Son to be born. Openness was not what she experienced from the world, in fact she was knocking on closed doors and the doors remained closed despite her knocking. For Jesus to be born, Mary and Joseph could only find a place in the midst of animals and nature. It was in the open space of a stable that Jesus was born. Openness is the essence of nature; largeness is the core of the Divine.
The second movie is Magdalena: Released from Shame which for me depicts the importance of critically evaluating some of the patterns of personal and collective behaviours that are unjust and therefore oppressive to society in general and some groups of people in particular. There are many stereotypes that we have got so used to and have been made natural through our cultural and religious upbringing, which needs our critical evaluation. As religious, as committed men and women, we are responsible for instilling positive changes in our minds, hearts and personal lives, and in communities, families, parishes and in society. There is immense violence not far away from us, in our society, in our church, within us and all around us.
How can we make Christmas a time to open our hearts to joyfully accept and receive everyone? What are the ways in which we need to come together to reduce the violence that is becoming a common feature in our society? How can we as committed people go beyond ourselves to create communities of peace and harmony?
This issue of Magnet contains stories of committed people who have gone beyond making it possible to give birth to the new in the lives of many. We have experiences of passionate involvement in the lives of the poor and energizing tips for growing in spiritual and psychological freedom. In this edition there are examples of men and women who dared to do the impossible, histories of spiritual masters who helped others find God in and through their day-to-day experiences, analysis of policies and proposals with social, political and economic impact on our lives and that of the people among whom we work. In short, this edition too is a package with enormous dynamism and wisdom. I hope you will relish reading it just as we loved preparing it for you.
To create boundaries is human, to go beyond, divine. Christmas happened, because God decided to transgress, to cross, reach out and touch humanity with a love so intense. Change happens only when we go beyond our comfort zones and allow the new to break forth.
Thanks to Prof Gigi, I am planning to watch both the movies he recommends, hope you too will. They are both available for free on the internet. Enjoy them and let us be open to the change God wants to create in us. Have a transforming Christmas 2022.
Pushpa Joseph
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