On behalf of the Palestinian Sabeel* Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center– Board and Staff –
I would like to send to all of our friends, local and international, our sincere Christmas greetings.
I would also like to express our heartfelt gratitude for all the support that our friends give us.

MAY THE JOY, PEACE, AND LOVE OF CHRISTMAS
REMAIN WITH YOU
THROUGHOUT THE NEW YEAR

Some of our people ask how can we celebrate Christmas

• with all the closures and checkpoints,
• with all the injustice and oppression,
• with all the violations of human rights,
• with the presence of a wall that separates families and friends,
• and a multitude of hardships that the occupation imposes to make people’s lives miserable,

The questions are legitimate. Yet Christmas and New Year must be a time of renewal, of hope
and anticipation, of determination and zeal to work for a better world where people can
experience these essential qualities of life.

Therefore, wherever empire exists and the powers that be are in control through domination,
there is a greater responsibility for all of us to take a stand against all that dehumanizes people
and to work for their liberation.

The Christmas story is a story of a liberating God who comes to join an oppressed people in the
work of liberation. God’s message through the angels is a message of defiance. In spite of the
presence of empire, human arrogance, and oppression, God is announcing peace and good will.
This is God’s agenda. Glory belongs to God and not to the emperor nor to the powers. Once that
is genuinely acknowledged, peace is not far away.

• It is in the midst of the Roman occupation that the Incarnation took place;
• it is in spite of the occupation that Mary and Joseph found joy and love in the birth of Jesus;
• it is in spite of the occupation and in the midst of economic hardships that the shepherds came                                       to visit a family of modest means and discovered great joy and peace;
• it is in spite of the occupation that the Magi came to offer their gifts to the child.

Through our celebration
    we defy the occupation;
    we defy the injustice;
    we defy the oppressors;
    we defy the powers.

They do not possess the last word,

they can build high walls, but they cannot take away our hope,

they can put us in jail, but they cannot take away our joy,

they can prevent us from visiting family, but they cannot take away our love,

they can stop us at checkpoints and impose all kinds of restrictions, but they cannot take away
our pursuit of freedom and liberation,

they can prevent us from going to Bethlehem, but they cannot prevent the spirit of Bethlehem
from reaching us,

they can treat us as nonhumans, but they cannot crush our spirit nor can they take away our
God-given human worth and dignity,

THEY CAN ACT WITH HATE AND DISGUST BUT, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, WE CAN
ALWAYS REFUSE TO STOOP TO THE LEVEL OF HATE AND MAINTAIN OUR LOVE
OF GOD AND NEIGHBOR THAT INCLUDES THEM.

Therefore Christmas makes us defiant.

• we defy the evildoers because we believe in the goodness which they are capable of doing,
• we defy hate because we believe in the power of love and forgiveness,
• we defy despair because we believe in life and hope,
• we defy violence and terror - both state and individual - because we believe in the power of peace and nonviolence,
• we defy war and the occupation of other people’s lands because we believe in the power of peaceful methods based on international law and legitimacy,
• we defy and challenge those who humiliate and degrade others because we believe in the dignity of every human being.

We are defiant. We are full of hope. We will continue to work for peace through justice.

GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST AND ON EARTH PEACE

Naim Ateek, Jerusalem, December 14, 2004

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Sabeel is an ecumenical grassroots liberation movement among Palestinian Christians located in
Jerusalem. It's an ecumenical center for Palestinian Liberation Theology which seeks to make the
Gospel contextually relevant. In Arabic Sabeel means 'The Way' and also a 'Spring of Water'.
Sabeel strives to develop a spirituality based on justice, peace, nonviolence, liberation and
reconciliation for the different national and faith communities. Sabeel also works to promote a
more accurate international awareness regarding the identity, presence, and witness of Palestinian
Christians. For more info: www.sabeel.org

ACTIONS
1. Give the following book for a gift, to others and yourself: The Impossible Will Take a Little
While: A Citizen's Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear, by Paul Roeb. Visit
www.theimpossible.org  for reviews.
2. Enter into the defiant spirit of Christmas. Resolve not to let the powers of hate and oppression
have the last word.
3. Share this bulletin with friends, family, coworkers and your faith community.