My good friend and colleague Pastor Miriam Groß (Gross) writes winningly about her work as a police chaplain in Germany, matters about religion, Germany, and much more. She usually writes in German, as here, and I use Reverso to bring her words to a wider audience. The link below leads to the original, with pictures and in this case a video.
You can leave comments on the original by using the link, or by contacting her at germanpastornyc@gmail.com Ignore the Not Found; simply send her an email.
Of changes of the year and blessings for 2025
on
27 December 2024 by German Pastor General
The calendar year 2024 is approaching and
this year seems to be racing past me in a special density and intensity. Maybe
you feel the same way? 2024 was a busy year politically, socially and socially.
In many ways this year, which is nearing
its end, seems to be marked by two themes: great pain and exnovation.
The pain and suffering of war in Ukraine,
in the Holy Land, in Lebanon and in so many places around the world. By
terrorist attacks like in Magdeburg as well as in our own country, when will
war and killing finally stop? When do we understand that we are brothers and
sisters to each other, since we have a Creator and Lord of the world? The abuse
study and the exposure of abuse cases in my own church make me angry and
speechless. Why do people inflict so much suffering on others and then even
where they should be safe?
The term "exnovation" describes
the opposite of innovation, that is, the withdrawal of systems, processes,
practices or technologies that have been abolished, dissolved or withdrawn. A normal
step in the recurring cycle of creation, establishment and eventual dissolution
before new things can be established. Much of the usual political and social
orders has been abolished, dissolved or withdrawn this year. Now we hold our
breath, because we do not know how the conditions will redevelop in 2025, be it
the new government in the USA, the reorganization of Syria and the upcoming new
elections in Germany.
What’s 25 gonna do?
The
25 is mathematically an odd number, but also a square number and it is the sum
of five odd single digits: (1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 = 25).
The number 25 stands for the chemical
element manganese, a silver-white, hard, very brittle transition metal that
resembles iron. Manganese is mined in nature in large quantities and used
mainly in the steel industry.
As a police chaplain, my curious eye also
goes to the Criminal Code (StGB).In §25 it is about the perpetrator":
(1) The offender is punished if he commits
the offence himself or through another person.
(2) If several persons commit the offence
jointly, each shall be punished as a perpetrator (accomplice).
It is particularly interesting to me to
look at the Holy Scriptures and the numerology contained therein. The number 25
stands for "overflowing grace" - this is the sum of 20, which means
salvation, and 5, which means grace. One can also translate 5 5 as grace upon
grace. This number is associated with various events in the Bible: King
Jehoshaphat reigned 25 years, while Ezekiel in 25. The year of his imprisonment
he had his vision of the temple.
Besides these interesting biblical aspects
of the number 25, the social and social connotations are also instructive. In
our society, the 25th anniversary plays an important role. Silver weddings,
anniversaries and many other events spanning a quarter of a century are
celebrated as special milestones.
The Catholic Church celebrates its 27th
anniversary, since 1300 with Pope Boniface VIII. these celebrated celebrations
in the Catholic Church began. Biblically speaking, a year of decree or jubilee
takes place every fifty years (see Lev 25,8-55) and was originally referred to
as the so-called year of the Lord.
"debt slaves" and their exemption from compulsory labour. The
central theme of the Catholic Jubilee is for believers to have a chance at a
complete absolution of their sins and thus a new beginning. But this is only on
condition that they make a pilgrimage to Rome to receive the sacraments of
penance and the Eucharist, and to pass through the holy gate of the Church of
the Apostles until 6 January 2026. The city of Rome will therefore be able to
cheer in 2025 not only on this encouragement for Catholic Christians, but also
on the influx of pilgrims.
Many church publications take the
respective annual slogan into consideration in their publications - such as the
protestant Sonntagsblatt.
But check everything and keep the good.
Thess 5.21
Analogous to th last turn of the year
(2023 and 2024) I will instead base my blessings for the coming new year on
Psalm 25.
I thank all readers of my blog for giving
space and time to my words and thoughts. May God’s blessing accompany you in
2025!
Your / Your Miriam Groß
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