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Reflections
for Sunday, December 25, 2011
Break out together in song, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD comforts
his people, he redeems Jerusalem - the Prophet Isaiah always has words that
evoke within us a sense of God's presence and God's love for us. It is so
wonderful to live now and to be aware of the fulfillment of the
prophecies.
Last night at Midnight Mass, the Prophet spoke about darkness being
replaced by light. Today it is as if the Prophet has run before us all
night, bringing tidings of salvation. We can almost hear the sound of the
feet running to every part of creation: God is saving us! God has sent
His Son! God loves us! The Lord is bringing comfort to us, His people.
The Letter to the Hebrews picks this up and reminds us that in the past,
God used all kinds of means to communicate to His people, but now God sends
us His own Son. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews speaks almost as
if he himself does not believe that God would send His own Son. God no
longer speaks in partial or diverse ways: the Word of God is now given to
us.
So we have the opening of the Gospel of John today, reaffirming that the
Word has taken on our flesh and dwells in our midst. This is totally
unbelievable - and yet is true. God has chosen to live among us, the glory
of God in fullness of grace and truth is in our midst. Not only does God
live among us now, this God gives us grace upon grace.
What can this mean for us? This question was surely in the minds of those
who first encountered the Son of God and began to believe. What can this
mean? Even the Shepherds in their fields wondered about the meaning of the
strange happenings.
Perhaps today we miss the newness of this reality because we have become
accustomed to it. Yet if we take the time to meditate and pray on this
great solemnity, it becomes new and fresh within us also. We humans so
often have to take time to savor what is happening around us in order to
understand it and experience it in depth.
May the joy and good tidings of this Christmas celebration renew us in
gratitude and in wonder.
Readings of the day:
First Reading:
Second Reading:
Gospel:
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Reflections are available for the following Sundays:
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