Fraternity-Testvériség, 1977 (55. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1977-10-01 / 4. szám
DR. JOHN BUTOSI, Bishop of The Calvin Synod: ©n tije l\oab of tfje TOtőe jföleti In this Christmas season let us celebrate the arrival of our Savior on the road of the wise men! In the Scriptures we read that “opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts: gold and frankincense and myrrh” (Mt. 2:11). That is to say: they offered to Him all that they were and all that they had. Evidently, there is no other way to celebrate true Christmas even today! Gold is the symbol of the outward treasures. We all have it. Some more, some less. But in every case: gold robs us if it becomes our master. It robs us of mother and country, plans and thoughts, God and faith, love and peace, our very self and life itself. Everything. And yet: man worships the idol of gold both in capitalist and communist societies. He is unable to do otherwise until the living Christ liberates him. But the Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil. Thus the wise man is empowered to return the gold to its rightful owner, the living God. There is no Christmas where money is the Lord. Gold lies at the manger where Christmas is truly understood. Frankincense is the symbol of the inward treasures. It signifies knowledge and thoughts, feelings and emotions, spirit and devotion. The wise men offered to Jesus these gifts, too. Oh, how relevant this is for us today! In our age, human knowledge FRATERNITY Official Organ of The Hungarian Reformed Fed. of America Edited by Officers of the Federation Published quarterly — four times a year. Subscription for non-members in U.S.A. and Canada $2, elsewhere $3 a year. Office of Publication: Bethlen Press, Inc., Ligonier, Pa. 15658 POSTMASTER—Send Form 3579 to Editorial Office: 3216 New Mexico Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016. Telephone: (202) 244-7555. Editorial Committee: Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor— Rt. Rev. Arpad George, President Associate Editors— László L. Eszenyi, Executive Vice-President, Elmer E. Vargo, Secretary, Joseph S. Molnár, Treasurer. Second Class Postage Paid at the Post Office in Ligonier, Pa. 15658. grows by leaps and bounds, but every advancement brings newer fear to mankind. Here is, for example, the atomic research: the achievements are both marvelous and formidable. And this is the case with every human knowledge, feeling and thought. In short: human values cannot be a source of real blessings unless they are under the rule of the Lord. Finally, myrrh was offered by the wise men to the newborn King. In the Orient, myrrh is used for embalment, therefore, it is a symbol of pain, sorrow, bereavement, lonliness, the dark side of life. We all have our share in these unpleasant experiences. In themselves, they are undesirable, and yet we like to retain them. Especially we Hungarians like to pity ourselves, cling to our “ill fate” and show our wounds. God wants us to leave this myrrh at the manger of the Savior who came to carry our sorrows, heal the brokenhearted and comfort the desolate. Of course, to see and live Christmas in this light, we need faith. For only through faith can we understand that the wise men did what Jesus did first for our sake: He opened His treasures — both inward and outward treasures — and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Eph. 5:2) As a humble servant He emptied himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. (Phil. 2:7,8).... May God grant us, then, living faith to celebrate Christmas on the road of the wise men. THE NATIONAL OFFICERS OF THE HUNGARIAN REFORMED FEDERATION OF AMERICA Wishes you a blessed Christmas and a happy, peaceful New Year. STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION Title o£ Publication — Fraternity. Frequency of Issue — Four (4) times a year. Location of Publication — Bethlen Press, Inc., Ligonier, Pa. 15658. Publisher — Hungarian Reformed Federation of America. Editor — Rt. Reverend Arpad George, President of the H. R. F. A. 3216 New Mexico Avenue, N. W., Washington, D. C. 20016. Owner — Hungarian Reformed Federation of America. 3216 New Mexico Avenue, N. W., Washington, D. C. 20016. No share holders -— Non-Profit. Total No. of Copies printed — 15,400. Mail Subscriptions — 14,964. Free Distribution 100. Total Distribution — 15.066. Office use, leftover, unaccounted for, spoiled after printing —• 236. I certify that the statements made above are correct and complete. Sándor E. Chomos, Mgr. Bethlen Press, Inc. Ligonier, Pa. 15658 2
