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"Behold, the Virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, God with us. Which means, God is with us.” Matthew 1: 23
Let us ponder that very first Christmas-the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The circumstances around his birth were so simple, so quiet and so uneventful to the rest of the world. His birth was announced by the angels to a few lowly shepherds. It wasn't announced to the who's who in the elite group of citizens at the time.
He was born into a hostile, violent, sinful world. It sounds like the world that we live in today, doesn't it? Before he was two years old, his parents had to flee with Jesus from the murderous King Herod. He gave orders to kill all the boys who were two years old and under.
The God of the universe chose to come as a helpless baby, in a lowly stable where animals are kept. In a certain sense God was vulnerable. As a baby he trusted Mary and Joseph to care for and protect him.
In this season of joyful yet sometimes stressful family gatherings, it is important to take some quiet time and look at the babe in the manger. Reflect on how the coming of God into our midst changed the course of history forever. How the babe in the manger is changing the course of our lives one day at a time.
Jesus came to set us free of the chains that keep us bound to sin. Jesus came to give us new life. Jesus came to show us the way to Heaven. Jesus is our forever friend. Jesus will never leave us or forsake us. Jesus is the Truth, the Way and the Life.
Reflection:
If you are lonely and empty this Christmas even in the midst of all the celebrations, meditate on the babe in the manger. Hold the baby Jesus in your arms and ask Mary to show you how to hold Jesus in your heart this Christmas.
Connie Beckman resides in Helena Montana with her husband and their dog Chewie and their two cats Heidi and Bailey. A number of years ago, she was the editor and feature story writer for a small bi-weekly newspaper. Connie has been published in a number of Catholic magazines. Margaret Ann Stimatz, Ruth Lloyd, and Connie co-authored a 40-day-reflection booklet entitled: Mercy for Little Souls which contains tidbits about the late Father Stu Long's powerful ministry with quotes from the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy In My Soul. Mercy for Little Souls is available at Beyond.227.org. Her desire as a writer is to encourage Catholic spiritual growth by sharing the truths of the faith through the written word addressing a variety of subjects. "Go out to all the world and tell the good news." Mark 16:15.
