Here are three orations by three Christians who have put out a range of ideas in their messages. The first is the Christmas sermon given by Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury on Dec 25, 2008, the second is an address on Bernard of Clairvaux by Benedict XVI delivered on Aug 21, 2006, and the the last is taken from Martin Luther's Postil of 1522.
Rowan William's Christmas sermon at Canterbury Cathedral http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/2075 In his Christmas sermon at Canterbury Cathedral, the Archbishop of Canterbury says that one of the lessons of the coming of Christ is that people shouldn't waste time waiting for larger-than-life heroes to bring comprehensive and total solutions to the ills of the world. An address by Benedict XVI on St. Bernard of Clairvaux. (excerpt) It is necessary to pay attention to the dangers of excessive activity, regardless of one's condition and occupation, observes the saint, because -- as he said to the Pope of that time, and to all Popes and to all of us -- numerous occupations often lead to "hardness of heart," "they are no more than suffering for the spirit, loss of intelligence and dispersion of grace" (II, 3). http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=3570 "A sermon by Martin Luther; taken from his Church Postil of 1522." This one has resonances with Christmas. http://www.orlutheran.com/html/mlseti03.html "But who is there of you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say unto him, when he is come in from the field, come straightway and sit down to eat; and will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank the servant because he did the things that were commanded? Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do." Live the Season. venantius j pinto
