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Posted by: waccasia on Dec 23, 2008 - 09:23 AM
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We live in a time of great anxiety is not debatable. It is ironic that all the things we have done, invented, and produced, have not reduced anxiety at all. In fact, there is every reason to believe that our great technological advances have increased anxiety, rather than reducing it.
Yours in Christ the Saviour born in Bethlehem for us.
Sam Meshack / President, AR-WACC.
The recent encounters of terrorists threats and killings creating rumours of wars; religious fundamentalist atrocities, killings, fear-driven women, children and young and elderly hiding and taking asylum in the forests and migrating to unknown places; women losing their dignity and chastity; economic recession – young people losing their jobs and losing their lives; where is peace, where is hope, where is religious tolerance, human acceptance; what does it mean to say, Communicating Peace… The question is: Is peace possible in a world like this? Dr. Michael Traber, a renowned communication scholar and a great friend of many WACC members believed that there is only one way of overcoming the political, economic, social, and cultural inequalities and violence that have marred and hindered justice for all – and that is genuine communication. Yes, Building a culture of peace means building a culture of communication in solidarity with those whose freedom has been taken away, or seriously diminished, rendering them less than human.
In the darkness of anxiety, is there the light of peace? One of the best gifts of Christmas is PEACE. This is one of the key themes, isn’t it? “Peace on earth, good will toward all.” Christ is the Prince of Peace. He brings the peace that passes all understanding.
Saint Luke tells us there were shepherds out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks.
When the angel of the Lord appeared to them, they were told that a Saviour had been born in Bethlehem. The angel said to the shepherds, “This will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And then they heard a group of angels singing, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!” When the angels went away, the shepherds said, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” Then the shepherds went to Bethlehem with haste.
We come to Christmas with a good deal of haste. We hurry along toward it. Before we know it, it has come and gone and we have missed it.
There is always the danger that in all this we miss the thing we are searching for most, the peace of God which comes to us only from the Prince of Peace.
When the angels went away, the shepherds said to each other, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
The shepherds knew they had to do something. This babe had come to them, but they had to go right then to the place where he was.
It comes down to this: Are you willing to go to the place where this child is, the place where you find God’s peace?
Christmas has some wonderful things to say to us. Christmas has some wonderful things to do for us. Christmas has some wonderful things to give to us. But we have to have the ears of faith to hear them, the eyes of faith to see them, the heart of faith to feel them, and the grace to accept them. St. Paul says: “For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” (2 Cor.8:9)
We need to look for signs of God’s peace in the kindness of others, in the generosity of friends, in the lives of fellow Christians, and in the mission of the church.
On behalf of the members of the Executive committee of the Asia Region of the World Association for Christian Communication, I wish you all a meaningful and blessed Christmas to be channels of God’s peace to those places and people who need this peace at this hour.
With this message of Christmas, let me also share some good news from the Asia Region – World Association for Christian Communication. As we are getting ready to celebrate the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, there is good news for all our members. Our Secretary, Maria Theresa Nera-Lauron, whom we loveably call Tetet, is expecting a babe, most probably in the month of February, 2009 and we are looking forward to seeing her in February before the babe’s arrival as the Executive Committee is planning to meet in Philippines in February 2009. Let us assure her of our prayers that God may grant her safe delivery of her babe and granting good health to both the mother and the child.
We had good news that the WACC Global secretary Ms. Amany, from Middle East, has given birth to a girl child. We thank God for the new addition in our Global WACC family. Congratulations Amany!
The WACC Congress 2008 held at Cape Town, South Africa brought out the message ‘Communication is Peace: Building Viable Communities’ attracted some 300 communication and media professionals from 73 countries. Participants, both religious and secular, worked on ways to build peaceful societies based on justice and human dignity. I had the opportunity to be a respondent to the presentation on Communication Rights from the Asian Perspective. Asian Excom members had the opportunity of conducting three Exploration Workshops, on the themes: 1) Poverty Reporting and Monitoring standards, 2) Problems of Migration and Communication Rights and 3) Problems of Natural Calamities and threats of Communication rights. We are also happy to mention that our Asia representative Rev. Cheon Young-Cheol is re-elected as the Global Treasurer. Mr. Dennis Smith, from Guatemala and Ms. Praxedis Bouwman from Netherlands has been elected as the President and vice-president respectively and Ms. Amany, from the Middle East is re-elected as the Secretary of Global WACC. Please visit WACC website for more information on the WACC Congress 2008.
Our regional project on the Developing Poverty Reporting Standards for the Asian Media, which is limping a little will be set right soon. Two research projects have been completed and one more will be completed hopefully by February and then three regional and one national consultation will be planned and soon I will come back to the members on the dates. We would encourage the members to participate in these consultations, wherever it is possible. This will also give us an opportunity to have fellowship and share our knowledge and participate in the mission of WACC.
We are looking forward to make our membership drive in the coming year, to add many people to our family and also bring back our former members to our fellowship. I seek the co-operation of all the members to send your suggestions to the Excom members in this venture.
The Executive committee is also planning to conduct the “World Communication Sunday 2009” to be celebrated on the 24 May 2009 to coincide with the “World Communication Day.” We are proposing to have "Communicating Peace: Promoting a Culture of Respect, Dialogue and Friendship," as the theme. We are trying to work out a short liturgy carrying a short message and intercession that could be used in the churches. We seek the regional representatives and all the members to make them available to the churches to pray for WACC and its ministry of “communicating peace to the world”. This will also enable the Churches to know the existence of AR-WACC and its work and contribute to the Communication Ministry. Please feel free to give your suggestion, as we will be discussing on this matter in the ensuing Executive Committee meeting in Philippines in February 2009.
Please keep us in your prayers and kindly greet your family and members of your organizations/institutions a blessed Christmas and a meaningful and prosperous New Year 2009, on behalf of the AR-WACC.
Yours in Christ the Saviour born in Bethlehem for us.
Sam Meshack
President, AR-WACC.
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