Sr. Bincy Thumpanathu CMC
READING:- “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship” (Galatians 4:4-5).
REFLECTION:- Emmanuel! God is with us! God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him may not perish, but may have everlasting life (John 3:16). The Word became flesh in order to enter into dialogue with us so as to teach us his ways. We can see God’s great love for mankind at the birth of Christ. The true light that gives light to everyone came into the world. However, the world did not recognize him and his own did not accept him (John 1:9-11). When we look back to the Old Testament, we see that this is a case of history repeating itself. “Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand” (Isaiah 1:2-3). In today’s all too busy world, the temptation is to see Christ just as a child in a manger, failing to comprehend who He truly is or to grasp the significance of His coming. Therefore, the words of St. Paul are as relevant now as they ever were: “let all God’s angels worship him” (Hebrews 1:6). However, what is acceptable worship? Each morning the people of Israel brought Yahweh sacrifices and various forms of offerings. But the Lord despised their festivals; he did not accept their burnt offerings; he did not listen the melody of their harp, or even look upon them. The Lord pleased only with those who revered him and loved him sincerely, and who were truly humble of heart. Christ’s birth indeed turns all human reasoning on its head. He came into the world in littleness. The baby Jesus born in poverty challenges each one of us to offer humble service to the poor and the needy which far outweighs status seeking or a lifetime of craving superiority. At the present time the exercise of humble service is very much in evidence in the myriad act of selflessness and generosity as health care workers, friends, relatives, neighbours, clergy, religious and others come to the assistance of those affected by covid-19.
PRAYER:- O Divine Redeemer Jesus Christ, we adore you. Lord, enable us to close the door of pride and help us to practise humility in our daily living. Lord from this day forward, keep in us a spirit of renunciation, of poverty, and of humility. O Christ, Child of Bethlehem, born for our sake, teach us to walk beside you on the paths of love and humility. Make us more sensitive to the needs of those less fortunate than ourselves. Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
CONTEMPLATION:- The Lord came into the world in littleness. Christ’s birth challenges us to accept God’s way, when our mind prompts us to follow worldly thinking, and to seek happiness in what ultimately proves to be empty materialism. Let us examine where we are right now. Ask yourself: Am I ready to follow the path of humility, the littleness that the Lord, the creator of all things has chosen for me? Do I trust implicitly in God? Do I pray to be guided by him in all that I do?
ACTION:- Rid yourself of all pride, be prepared to compromise and do not seek to dominate others.
Show a generosity of spirit in all your dealings with others.
“As long as we love each other God remains in us and his love comes to its perfection in us” (1 John 4:12).
