Rejoice for unto you is born this day a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
Advent is almost drawing to a conclusion and in a few days the holy season of Christmas will be upon us. Amidst the hustle and bustle of last minute shopping and hectic pre-Christmas schedules, is it any wonder that the Lord reminds his faithful to continue to spread the Word for the good of humankind?
'And when Jesus saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "the harvest is rich, but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers to his harvest".' (Matthew 9:36-37)
Is it possible that the Lord feels sorry for the crowds of shoppers today? What is their goal? What is their purpose? Are they harassed and dejected in the build up to the Christmas feast? Has the true meaning of Christmas been forgotten? Or does it take second place to other, more pressing considerations? Is it possible that the hustle and bustle in pursuit of gratification in modern times robs us of the true joy that Christmas should bring? The joy rooted in the belief that Our Lord Jesus became man for our sake - for our salvation? The joy that springs from the knowledge that God loves us so much, he gave his only Son for us, is a lasting one.
Christmas is the time when the Christian Church remembers with gratitude that the 'Word of God became flesh for us in order to save us by reconciling us with God.' (Catechism of the Catholic Church 457). The Word became flesh so that thus we might know God's love 'in this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him' (1 John 4:9). For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.' (1 John 3:16)
We should not be tempted to think that this was but a little sacrifice - or no sacrifice at all. Consider, the Lord in all his great omnipotence, permitted himself in all humility to become like one of us. That was no mean feat. What a huge sacrifice! He became a small helpless baby, dependant on humankind to tend his every need. He trusted us to care for him. He became little, so that we might be redeemed.
The Father's only Son, conceived as man in the womb of the Virgin Mary, is 'Christ', that is to say, anointed by the Holy Spirit, from the beginning of his human existence, though the manifestation of this fact takes place only progressively: to the shepherds, to the magi, to John the Baptist, to the disciples. Thus the whole life of Jesus Christ will make manifest 'how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power'. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 486)
Called in the gospels 'the mother of Jesus', Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as 'the mother of my Lord'. In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly 'Mother of God' (Theotokos). (Catechism of the Catholic Church 495).
Mary, no-one has been closer to Jesus than you for you received him first in your heart when you said 'yes' to God.
Then you gave him flesh and nourished him within you until the time came to bring him into the world.
All this time, you adored him, knowing him as the Son of God.
And when he was born - small, defenceless, vulnerable - for he was fully human
You cared for him in every respect, wondering at his perfection, feeding him and touching him, adoring his living presence.
Mary, yours was the first face our Lord saw. As an infant at your breast, he would gaze adoringly at his provider
Drinking in every aspect of your face
A face beloved for eternity.
Mary, your earthly life was one of example of how Christian lives should be
Living for God
Adoring him
Nurturing his Word in your heart and your mind
Seeing him and his likeness in all men
Growing daily in faith, hope and love.
Mary, pray that we too may become more like you
Let us accept the Word in our hearts and give it life in our actions and our speech.
Let us find our true nourishment in the Sacraments and adore the Living Presence of Our Lord among us
Let us gaze adoringly on him with love
So our faces may become adorable to him. Amen.
Let us approach the Christmas Season in a Spirit of gratitude for the love the Lord has shown us. The Word became flesh to bring Light into a turbulent world. Let that light shine from each one of us, as we await the fulfilment of the promise of the New Jerusalem. Let the world know that we are Christians by our love.
Advent is almost drawing to a conclusion and in a few days the holy season of Christmas will be upon us. Amidst the hustle and bustle of last minute shopping and hectic pre-Christmas schedules, is it any wonder that the Lord reminds his faithful to continue to spread the Word for the good of humankind?
'And when Jesus saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "the harvest is rich, but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers to his harvest".' (Matthew 9:36-37)
Is it possible that the Lord feels sorry for the crowds of shoppers today? What is their goal? What is their purpose? Are they harassed and dejected in the build up to the Christmas feast? Has the true meaning of Christmas been forgotten? Or does it take second place to other, more pressing considerations? Is it possible that the hustle and bustle in pursuit of gratification in modern times robs us of the true joy that Christmas should bring? The joy rooted in the belief that Our Lord Jesus became man for our sake - for our salvation? The joy that springs from the knowledge that God loves us so much, he gave his only Son for us, is a lasting one.
Christmas is the time when the Christian Church remembers with gratitude that the 'Word of God became flesh for us in order to save us by reconciling us with God.' (Catechism of the Catholic Church 457). The Word became flesh so that thus we might know God's love 'in this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him' (1 John 4:9). For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.' (1 John 3:16)
We should not be tempted to think that this was but a little sacrifice - or no sacrifice at all. Consider, the Lord in all his great omnipotence, permitted himself in all humility to become like one of us. That was no mean feat. What a huge sacrifice! He became a small helpless baby, dependant on humankind to tend his every need. He trusted us to care for him. He became little, so that we might be redeemed.
The Father's only Son, conceived as man in the womb of the Virgin Mary, is 'Christ', that is to say, anointed by the Holy Spirit, from the beginning of his human existence, though the manifestation of this fact takes place only progressively: to the shepherds, to the magi, to John the Baptist, to the disciples. Thus the whole life of Jesus Christ will make manifest 'how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power'. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 486)
Called in the gospels 'the mother of Jesus', Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as 'the mother of my Lord'. In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly 'Mother of God' (Theotokos). (Catechism of the Catholic Church 495).
Mary, no-one has been closer to Jesus than you for you received him first in your heart when you said 'yes' to God.
Then you gave him flesh and nourished him within you until the time came to bring him into the world.
All this time, you adored him, knowing him as the Son of God.
And when he was born - small, defenceless, vulnerable - for he was fully human
You cared for him in every respect, wondering at his perfection, feeding him and touching him, adoring his living presence.
Mary, yours was the first face our Lord saw. As an infant at your breast, he would gaze adoringly at his provider
Drinking in every aspect of your face
A face beloved for eternity.
Mary, your earthly life was one of example of how Christian lives should be
Living for God
Adoring him
Nurturing his Word in your heart and your mind
Seeing him and his likeness in all men
Growing daily in faith, hope and love.
Mary, pray that we too may become more like you
Let us accept the Word in our hearts and give it life in our actions and our speech.
Let us find our true nourishment in the Sacraments and adore the Living Presence of Our Lord among us
Let us gaze adoringly on him with love
So our faces may become adorable to him. Amen.
Let us approach the Christmas Season in a Spirit of gratitude for the love the Lord has shown us. The Word became flesh to bring Light into a turbulent world. Let that light shine from each one of us, as we await the fulfilment of the promise of the New Jerusalem. Let the world know that we are Christians by our love.
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