On this earth everyone has at least one or two ceremonial days for himself or herself such as the birthday, and wedding anniversary. Everybody congratulates him or her for the event on that day. Then what about God? 2000 years ago, God came down to this earth to save the sinners. However, nobody knows even the day of his birth.
His birth should be a great day of celebration for all of us. He did not come to this earth for his own glory. Rather he came down to us for the sake of us. He walked the path of sacrifice for over 30 years only for the sake of us the sinners who are destined to die.
Even though his coming was the most important day that they had to celebrate as everlasting festival, the fact is that nobody surely knew when he was born. His birth was not regarded as something to remember by the people of the time.
While staying on this earth, he taught his disciples the festivals of God so that God’s people can celebrate. He could have given them the festivals as days of worship and honor for him. He could have given them the festivals that he might be glorified.
He could have set up the festivals for his glory and the celebration of his great work. He could have command people to bring gifts and offering to him on those festivals for his honor. But he did not. On the contrary, Jesus established the festivals through his sacrifice. He had to go through sufferings to set up the festivals. The festivals were the days of pains and tribulations for him.
To set up the Passover, for example, he sacrificed his own body as sin offering for his people that their sins could be forgiven. All the festivals contain the blood Christ sacrificed for us that we might be blessed through those festivals.
While living, he did not set aside even one day for his own sake. His life on this earth was constant days of pains and sufferings for us. He was mocked, ridiculed, and persecuted because of the gospel that he delivered for our benefit, not for his own.
Today too, Christ Ahnsahnghong and Heavenly Mother New Jerusalem came down to this earth and restored all the festivals of God through their own sacrifice that we can be forgiven of our sins. While living on this earth, they cannot have even a day for their own joy and glory even though they are God who should be honored forever and more.
The festivals should be the days of joy and thanks for us. However, even today people feel that they are doing favors to God by keeping the festivals. We do not realize the true meanings of the festivals. We act as if God wanted to be honored by us on the day, and the days were days of burden to us that we should sacrifice ourselves for God’s sake. Then is this true? Are we doing any good things to God by keeping the festivals? No.
In reality, the festivals are the days when God has to suffer for us. The days are the days of joy and happiness for us, granted through the sacrifice of Father and Mother. This year, I will keep the festivals with the mind of joy and thanks all the time, remembering the love and sacrifice of Father and Mother for our sake.
Luke 22:19 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
