As an organization, the AAIC seeks to promote freedom of religion, equality, and understanding.  As we come to know and recognize holidays and celebrations of  different faith traditions our understanding and respect for our differences increases. The outcome is greater support and protect of one another’s religious freedom.

Dear AAIC Friends,

The Spiritual Life committee of AAIC would like to share with you a wonderful description of the holy day of Christmas, as written by our dear member Sr. Mary Ann Wiesmannn- Mills, OP.   We hope you are able to reflect and enjoy.

Peace!

For most Christians, Christmas is a celebration of coming!  Actually of three comings! Of course the first is the coming of Jesus the Christ born into our world in a stable in Bethlehem when the Son of God freely took on fully the human condition while remaining fully divine. We celebrate the magnificent love of God that encircles us and fills us as we make our way on our journey of human living. Christ comes to bring light into our lives that we might live fully in his presence. The earliest Christians did not celebrate Christmas. About the third century, believers began to celebrate Christ as the light of the world in the midst of darkness referring to the winter solstice when day light hours were short.

This leads to the celebration of the fact that because of his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus the Christ is never parted from us. He accompanies us in our daily living, is continually available to us and our every need. As we walk daily with Christ, we  become more and more like him, Indeed, we are called to be other Christ’s for our world. Hence, the evolution of the word “Christian.”

The third coming, which is actually referred to as the Second Coming of Christ, looks forward to the end of time when Christ will gloriously return to judge both the living and the dead. He will claim all who faithfully followed God’s command and take them to himself forever. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus talks about this time, which will be preceded by a time of great tribulation.

  But in those days after the tribulation, the sun will be darkened,

          and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling

          from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

          And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with

          great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and 

          gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to

          the end of the sky.

          But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in

          heaven or the Son but only the Father. Be watchful! Be alert!

                                                     Mark 13:24-27; 32-33

And so we live each day in wonder and anticipation, living as Christ would have us live.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Three members of the AAIC – President Kary S. Lewis, Vice-President Kathy Ress and Parliament presenter Devi Gursahaney recently attended the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Toronto, Canada. Exhibits, workshop, assemblies, and Plenaries supported this year’s Parliament  theme of  The Power of Inclusion, The Power of Love.  The conference hosted over 6500+ attendees from 220 countries around the world.