Tag: Prepare

Become the Manger of Christ

In Churches, homes, and even some civic places throughout the world, we see the beautiful, quaint, and charming manger scenes on display. Most certainly, things weren’t as pretty, neat, and clean at the time of Jesus’ birth. The uncertainties, difficulties, and stresses of it all must have been monumental, yet the Holy Family also shows us peace, perseverance, trust, faith, and hope. The beauty of the manger scene is also one where God is seen in the normal, the every-day places and events of life, among the cattle and sheep, in the city and suburb, in the stable and under the stars. Ordinary people, working people were witnesses, like the inn keeper and shepherds, and so were the exalted, the wealthy, the wise, and the angelic.

In fact, ALL OF CREATION was and is witness to the birth of its Savior, the Son of God, humbled in flesh and born as one of us. All of humanity and all of creation is “good” because the God who is Goodness itself sanctified it, touched it, and speaks it into being. This is why we are able to physically and spiritually see the very presence of God himself in creation, in His creation, in our world, and in each other. At the celebration of Christmas, we rejoice in the birth of him called “Emmanuel,” the name which means “God with us,” for he truly is and always will be.

The real gift of Christmas is Jesus. We cannot receive a gift when our arms are filled with all sorts of needless things, and we cannot receive the gift of our Savior when our hearts and lives are filled with all sorts of unnecessary clutter. So much in our lives block and hinder our ability to receive God and his grace. Let’s empty ourselves. Let’s look upon the simplicity of the nativity scene and reflect on its humility and ordinariness, so that our hearts can be transformed into the manger, the empty feeding trough, where Jesus was laid.

St. Paul reminds us that Jesus came into the world and was born to be the Sacrificial Offering for eternity. No more animal holocausts and offerings on altars to cover sins would suffice, but the Infant Jesus, the unblemished Lamb of God, would offer himself once, in an Eternal Sacrifice, his Passion, for the salvation of the world. His Blessed Mother placed her precious child in a feeding trough on that Most Holy Night. It was an act of maternal love, but, according to God’s will, it was a gesture which foretold the greatest act of love in all of salvation history, that of her son Jesus giving himself, both Body and Blood, “real food” and “real drink,” in the Eternal Sacrifice “through which we have been consecrated.” (HEB 10:10)

Being prepared for our Lord Jesus Christ, emptied of sin, attachments, and all that keeps us from God’s grace, we will be emboldened by the Holy Spirit to loudly proclaim for all the world: Rejoice and be glad! Our King has been born. Our Savior has come to set us free. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. May all praise, honor, and glory be to God, our Heavenly Father, for ever and ever!

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection; through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Fiery Faith

Elijah was a powerful preacher and prophet in Ancient Israel. Sirach tells us, “Like a fire, there appeared the prophet Elijah, whose words were like a flaming furnace. Their staff of bread he shattered, in his zeal he reduced them to straits; by the Lord’s word he shut up the heavens and three times brought down fire. How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wonderous deeds!” (NAB, SIR 48:1-4) Elijah truly was a great prophet whose prophecies were fulfilled by and through the very life of Jesus. This fulfillment is partly what gives us confidence in the divine Jesus as Christ, the Messiah, who came to save God’s people.

Jesus likens John the Baptist to the new Elijah. John was foretold by Elijah to be the “one crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’” (MT 3:3) In fact, it was the preaching of John which called the people of God to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (3:2) His fiery preaching would eventually cost him his life, but John knew his mission and persevered in faith. We owe a debt to John, who first made the Paschal connection regarding Jesus, whereupon seeing Jesus coming toward the Jordan river, John cried out, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (JN 1:29)

Lord, give me a voice on fire for you, a voice that fearlessly proclaims your Word in the midst of this world wrought with so many trials and difficulties. May my life always point to you, your love, and your mercy, and may I persevere in the continual renewal and conversion of myself. Amen.

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Preparation & Conversion

During these weeks of waiting and anticipation to celebrate the Birth of Jesus, we are reminded of the need to prepare ourselves to spiritually receive our Lord. In St. Luke’s Gospel, we read that familiar story of John the Baptist calling the people of his time to a baptism of forgiveness and repentance. He was fulfilling the words of the great prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths…. All flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” (NAB, LK 3:4, 6)

But how do we prepare to receive the salvation being offered to us? Preparing for the Lord, making straight the crooked paths and smoothing out the rough ways in our lives is all about conversion. It means daily examining ourselves, looking deep inside our souls, finding those areas where we fail or where we can do better, and then changing how we live, with the help of God’s grace. Conversion is a daily process where we work to conform ourselves to Christ. A simple reflection, perhaps in the middle of the day and just before sleep, can change our lives dramatically. After intentionally bringing your mind into the presence of God, reflect on the day by giving thanks for your blessings, and then asking yourself: When did I experience God or feel drawn to him today? When did I miss these opportunities, and why? How did I violate God’s Law of Love? (Express true contrition and a desire to change.) How do I allow Jesus to be more fully present in my life? There are many forms of a Daily Examen, and practicing it is perhaps one of the most certain methods for staying prepared for our Lord.

Father, as I experience this time of waiting to celebrate the birth of your Son, Jesus, transform my heart so that it may be clean and clear of anything that prevents me from receiving you. Give me your grace and the persistence and courage to honestly reflect on my life, so as to rid myself of all that is contrary to your love. As I seek to do your will, may I become more conformed to Christ, for your greater glory. Amen.

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