THE WORDS “JOY TO THE WORLD” WERE FIRST SUNG to a significantly joyless world. The faithful who witnessed the crowning event were few in number, negligible of impact and crouched under the thumb of a powerful hostile government. The forces of pagan mysticism and cynical humanist philosophy had joined to make a pincer movement on the human soul, while increased knowledge, communication and pervasive cosmopolitanism carried this deadening convergence into the smallest villages and towns. People were beginning to panic, public discourse became cynical, birth rates dropped, economies collapsed, famine and disease and conquest reared their heads. A civilization had passed its flowering and was proceeding into decline. In a few years the governor of Judea would answer God Himself with the phrase that sums up the pinnacle of human wisdom, then and now: “Truth! What is truth?” A few years after that, Jerusalem would be destroyed; a few years later, Rome would follow.

Some of us are old enough to remember when it seemed things would be a certain way forever – when being a Christian in America meant bringing valid arguments on a level playing field to a free and protected marketplace of ideas. In 2012 this is becoming an immoral, unpatriotic and in some respects illegal gesture. You can be disqualified from some professions (e.g. education, journalism and the sciences) by your faith. The same pincer movement is in effect, and our spiritual experts and guides at CNN and PBS are serenely explaining Christ away every year in their annual Christmas programming, along with the conspicuous absence of Christmas carols on shopping holiday playlists.

It was into this context, into some late stage of civilization’s inevitable march into the cold, sterile and dark, that angels appeared in the sky and announced tidings of great joy that shall be unto all peoples. And God, being Who He is, made sure succeeding events played out in an incomprehensible way that only a fool would pay attention to.

Great joy. To all peoples. Here. In these times. Now. We are trying to express news so powerfully joy-inducing that the worst day in the worst times can’t suppress it. We want this, badly, for you and your friends for Christmas this year. Go tell it on the mountain, over the hill and everywhere; go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!

An important message to all Catch members from John

Though the light of that first Christmas continues to lighten my heart, the edges around it are dark and heavy. Yes, the worst times can’t suppress that light, but they can try, and try they may. Many of you keep asking about our house and thinking you have missed an announcement somewhere along the way. There has been no announcement because I haven’t figured out a way to tell you that we are still in foreclosure proceedings with the bank with a January 8 sale date looming. I have not wanted to disappoint you because you have given so much and I desperately want us all to have a win. But I have now realized that in telling you I am not burdening you. At least you won’t feel burdened unless you want to, and if you want to do something about this it will be because you can and you choose to, not because I am burdening you or robbing you, which is far from me. So I realize that in not telling you, I am not giving opportunity for those who want to help to do so, only because I am hiding the truth.

Over these last few weeks, I have tried to state only positive messages about our future and how we need you to help us move forward (and we do – and there are exciting plans ahead including a new board to help us get there that you will meet in the next few days), but there will be no forward until we cover our arrears. (I could make a joke about that, but this doesn’t seem like the time.) So consider this a laying bare before you and a total surrendering to God to lead through your choices to respond or not as the Holy Spirit directs. What more could I ask or hope for?

For those who wish to contribute online use the CONTRIBUTE link above, and yes, all gifts are tax deductible. Checks may be sent to The Catch Ministry, Inc., 1278 Glenneyre, Laguna Beach, CA 92651.