Born Of God

John 1: 1-18

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling 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.

¹⁵ (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) ¹⁶ Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

We end the Christmas Octave with the Prologue of St. John, a beautiful, profound reflection and summary of what we have been celebrating for the past week. "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn 1: 1-14) . It seems we cannot fully comprehend this, but yet it is a fact, one for which we owe our lives, for it is the root and foundation of our salvation...Not only did God become one of us, but also  was "not received", willingly giving up his life on the cross, as we know, that we might have LIFE...ETERNAL LIFE! As we grow in deeper understanding and appreciation of this, our love and our actions move from self-centeredness to "other-centerdness" and we not only bear our own hardships with a smile, we seek to help others bear theirs, as certainly Jesus did. 

 As we look back over this difficult year, may we see how God was schooling us toward laying down our lives for others, thank him for this blessing and asking him that we may not pull back from our call to be born again as "children of light."  

Bro. Rene

Giving Thanks

^{Luke 2: 36-40}

 ^{Anna's Gratitude}

³⁶ There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.^[a] She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹ When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

We repeat part of yesterday's Gospel, this time focusing on Anna, whose life had been a prayer, worship and fasting. We can imagine her joy in recognizing the child and the promise of redemption for which she had been praying so long. We might also be reminded to seek that same patience and steadfastness in our prayer, especially when we don't receive immediate answers. Do we stop asking, or, like Anna, do we continue, knowing that at some time, in God's way, our prayer will be answered? May we learn to pray with confidence, trust, faith, patience and consistency to our God who will not be outdone in generosity.

Bro. Rene

 

A Mixed Blessing

Luke 2: 22-35

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

As Mary and Joseph fulfill the Law regarding the rites of purification for Mary, and the dedication of the first-born to the Lord, they were surprised by the presence of the Old Simeon, who had been praying faithfully to see the Messiah before he died, and who took the child and blessed him with the beautiful prayer which is now the part of Night Prayer, (Compline), in the Divine Office prayed daily by priests, monks and religious.  Known also by its Latin name, NUNC DIMITIS, it is an easy prayer to memorize and make part of our own night prayer. It reminds us of the salvation made possible by Jesus, as well as a reminder of our role in making light shine through our own words and actions, at the risk of  having our own hearts wounded as we attempt to serve others.  May this short prayer inspire us to carry on our lives in the footsteps of Jesus.

Bro. Rene 

 

The Slaughter of the Innocents

Matthew 2: 13-18

The Escape to Egypt

¹³ When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

¹⁴ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, ¹⁵ where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

¹⁶ When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. ¹⁷ Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

¹⁸ “A voice is heard in Ramah,
    weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,
    because they are no more.”

^{The slaughter of these children presents a gruesome picture, one that begs the question of how far fear and hatred will go.  Yet in our own day, countless children die unnecessarily from hunger, neglect, "ethnic cleansing", and yes, sadly abortion. Children are helpless and suffer at the hands of those capable of caring for them. Whatever we can do to support organizations such as FEED THE CHILDREN, might not solve the problem, but can help to save a few lives.  May this reading today prick our consciences and move us to their aid, even in a small way.}

^{Bro. Rene}

Wating Rewarded

 

Luke 2:22-40

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”^[a]), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

³⁶ There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹ When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

As we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we are guided by two old and holy people who have been waiting for the promised Messiah.  Their patience was rewarded when Joseph and Mary brought Jesus into the Temple for the customary purification rite and they recognized him immediately. What a thrill that must have bee! Simeon's response (verses 29-32) captures the moment and attitude so thoroughly that it is still recited as part of Compline, the Church's Evening Prayer. 

This scene and this Feast, the Holy Family, point to the reality that our salvation is worked out within the family (or community) whose love and support guides us and keeps us focused on loving, supporting, and when necessary, challenging one another. No family will admit that it is the perfect family, acknowledging the need for purification and deeper and more honest engagement with each other, so that love may grow in the good moments and deepen through the lessons learned in the dark moments, in God's good time and with all patience. As Jesus was "filled with wisdom and the grace of God', may we as family grow wiser and be filled daily with God's grace as were Simeon and Anna.

Bro. Rene

 

 

Be On Your Guard

^{Matthew 10: 17-22} 

^{Endure to the End}

¹⁷ Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. ¹⁸ On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, ²⁰ for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

²¹ “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. ²² You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

 It always seems strange to leap from the joy and "magic" of the nativity scene at Bethlehem with the Christ Child surrounded by shepherds, animals, angels singing in the sky, and a huge star illuminating the scene, a picture that remains fixed in our imagination, to the martyrdom of St. Stephen, which we celebrate the very next day.  The Acts of the Apostles (Acts 7) recounts his death in great detail, including his  final words as well as his fatal stoning, and sets the stage for a drama that will be repeated endlessly even to the present day:  people giving their lives for this Child; no ordinary child but the Son of God who became a man precisely to die that we might be set free from our sins. The irony is that the Nativity, with all its coziness made possible the brutal slaying of this Child as a man, the God-man, who rose from the dead and reversed the pattern of death to LIFE.

As we remember St. Stephen today, we also reminds ourselves that the death-to-life theme is also working in our lives, as we die to ourselves daily in order to rise with Christ to enjoy the best part of the life for which we were created.

Bro. Rene

God's Free Gift

Titus 3:4-7

 

Because of His Mercy

⁴ But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

As we exchange gifts today, or before, (because there is so much going on when the gift exchange takes place), we might give some thought to these few verses which highlight the ultimate gift, God's kindness and Love in the Person of Jesus, who not only became one of us, but has enabled us to be reborn in the Spirit as a child of God. If God was so thoughtful and lavish in his love, can we not make it the goal and purpose of our lives to be the same?

Merry Christmas and God's generous gift of his Son be yours today and forever.

Bro. Rene