A Christmas 2016 Reflection
By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFM
Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/ Order
Franciscans of Mercy
Reformed Catholic Church
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,and peace to men who enjoy his
favour.”(Luke 2:14) “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to all people
on earth with whom He is Pleased. Today is born unto us a Savior, who is Christ
the Lord”. (John 2:14, 11) “ His name will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6)
What a glorious gift was given to us when Christ was
born in a simple stable. The King of Kings, Lord of Lords was not born in a
palatial palace. He was not born in the warmth comfort of a home or inn. No, he
was born in a humble stable surrounded, not by nurses and doctors and relatives
but only by His parents, Mary and Joseph and the animals of the barn.
Jesus first visitors were simple shepherds, not the
elite of the world. This birth was a message to us that we should live
simply. Riches, fame, and fortune are
not what matters, but compassion for the marginalized of the world, love of
family and friends, sharing the gifts God has given us with others and trust
and faith in God are what matters.
Christ is referred to as “The Light of the World” this
means He was sent to illuminate the way for us, like a brilliant beacon that
guides ships away from dangerous shoals and reefs toward a safe harbor. Christ
was born to teach us how to dispel the darkness of fear, doubt, hatred and
anger and to find comfort in times of distress.
“God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible
for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up
everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be
self-restrained and live good lives here in this present world, while we are
waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the Appearing of the
glory of our great God and saviour Christ Jesus. He sacrificed himself for us
in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it
could be his very own and would have no ambition except to do good “(Titus 2:11-14)
The miraculous birth that we celebrate at Christmas brought
to earth God made flesh. God gave us a human image to equate to; a human being
that had to endure all the human feelings, emotions, problems and joys that
each of us experience on our journey of life.
Christ endured the pain of a loss of a parent and friends;
He experienced the joy of a wedding of a friend.
Christ became angry at the greed and callousness of
the priests and temple employees.
Christ also told us how to live a life that would
insure everlasting peace. His message was one of Love, forgiveness, compassion
and generosity.
On this day that we celebrate God’s gift to us of His
only son and the new promise of salvation to all his children, let us present
an offering to Him that reflects the way of life He advised us to lead.
Let us begin to be more compassionate to those who are
suffering from hunger, illnesses such as AIDS and cancer, poverty, substandard
housing, unemployment, and discrimination.
Let us work diligently to eliminate these ills from
the world and bring about a world where every one of God’s children is treated
with equality in all matters and given the same rights and privileges as every
other person.
On this day that we celebrate the birth of the Prince
of Peace let us make a concerted effort to bring peace into the world beginning
with our own families, friends and neighbors with whom we might be have a
disagreement. I
f all of us begin in this small way, we can make a
huge difference. As Neil Armstrong said upon landing on the moon, “One small step for man, one giant leap for
mankind”.
Let us take our small step in the direction of
bringing peace into our own lives which just might prod others to do the same
and eventually a “Virus of Peace” could envelope the whole world.
Pope Francis has focused his
attention on the hope that comes to us at Christmas which is a different kind
of hope a reliable and visible hope because it is founded on God; The Pope
noted how hope often refers to “that which is not in man’s power and which is
not visible,” something “beyond our strength” that we cannot see.
He said “However, Christ’s birth, inaugurating the Redemption, speaks to us of a
different hope, a reliable, visible and comprehensible hope, because it is
founded on God, Christ entered the world and gave us the strength to walk with
him: God walks with us in Jesus and to walk with Him towards the fullness of
life gives us the strength to be in the present in a new way, though laborious.
This hope is a certainty that we are with
Christ on the way to the Father”
Pope Francis explained.; “This hope, which the Child of Bethlehem
gives us, offers a goal, a good destiny to the present, the salvation of
humanity, beatitude to the one who entrusts himself to the merciful God.”
The Pontiff suggested that we ask
ourselves, “Do I walk with hope or is my
interior life stopped, closed? Is my heart a closed drawer or a drawer open to
hope, which has me walk with Christ, and not alone?”
The Holy Father then turned to the
Christmas crib, saying it transmits hope and that each of the people
represented there are “immersed in this atmosphere of hope.”
Let us pray that this Christmas brings this special kind
of hope, to the many displaced persons, exiles and refugees from the continuing
violence and war in the Middle East and all the poor, homeless, unemployed who
have lost a place to live and lie their head just as the Infant Jesus had no
place to lay his head except a feeding troth for farm animals. Let us pray that
the hope that the Pope spoke of lifts up all the lonely elderly in nursing
homes, hospices and shut-ins who are often alone and feel deserted.
May all who now are suffering receive the necessary
humanitarian help to overcome the rigors of winter and find hope in a brighter
day.
I end my Christmas message with these words of Jesus Christ
and pray that the Peace of Christ will invade your hearts today and all the
days of your life. God bless you and
have a blessed Christmas Holiday. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as
the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it
be fearful." (John 14:27)
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