Late Posting of Christmas Meditation

Praised be Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!

“What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The birth of the Son of God made man occurred in the middle of the night and so the darkness seemed to have obscured this great mystery that has come into the world. However, the great multitude of heavenly hosts filled the skies with heavenly light to announce to the world that on this day is born him who is called the Christ and Lord. Christmas day has come upon us and as light fills the morning skies, the mystery is revealed to us: The Word, who in the beginning was with God and is God, is now made flesh and he dwells among us. God the Son comes to give life. He is the Light that shines in the darkness and no matter how thick the darkness was, He was never overcome by it. He who is born today says: “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (Jn. 8:12) If we listen to him and follow him, we will never walk in darkness. Why? It is because his light, his glory is filled with grace and truth. He is the Light because he is the Truth. He is the Light because he is the Life. His light is both Truth and Life.

So many people today undermine the Lord who is born for us. Many people pretend to be enlightened as they oppose the teachings of Christ. I remember a senator who told the Church, “Do not pray for our enlightenment because we have already been enlightened…that is why we support the RH Bill.” Last night, the Holy Father spoke of the way we reject Christ who knocks at the door of our intellect:  “Does God actually have a place in our thinking? Our process of thinking is structured in such a way that he simply ought not to exist. Even if he seems to knock at the door of our thinking, he has to be explained away. If thinking is to be taken seriously, it must be structured in such a way that the ‘God hypothesis’ becomes superfluous. There is no room for him.” (Homily on Christmas Night, 2012) St. Augustine wrote: “Although this life is the light of men, yet the foolish of heart cannot comprehend that light, because they have grown blind through sin, so that they cannot perceive it. Lest therefore they should think that there is no light because they do not see it, there follows: and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. For though to a blind man standing in the sun, the sun in indeed present, but he is absent to the sun; so the foolish heart is truly blind to wisdom, although it is beside him. But while thus present to the blinded, it is absent to his eyes; not because it is absent to him, but because he is absent to it.” (Tr. 1, in John; Catena Aurea) “The deceit of worldly hearts cannot perceive the Light of God, shining in their flesh.” (Origen)

“But you were once in darkness,” says St. Paul, “but now you are light in the Lord.” (Eph 5, 8) Because we believe in the Lord and we follow him, we do not walk in darkness. We are not fools who say that there is no God. Faith allows us to recognize in the child of Bethlehem the invisible God. Faith enables us to open the doors of our intellect and hearts to Him who knocks. Faith makes us walk in the light. Origen said, “The light shines in the darkness of believing souls, beginning from faith, and approaching to hope.”  “This light which has become the light of men, shines in the darkness of our souls, and enters in where the ruler of this darkness wars with the human race (Eph 6, 12). The darkness persecutes this light…the darkness contending against the children of light. But since the Father is their defender, the darkness will not prevail.” (Origen) And so, as the darkness of the culture of death spreads throughout the nation, let us keep following Christ who is light. Let us fortify our families in the Catholic faith. Let us continue to uphold life. Let us continue to uphold Truth. Let us not waver in the faith. Yes, the darkness persecutes this light. Yes, the darkness contends against the children of light. But let us stand fast in the faith for the Father is our defender, the darkness will not prevail. The darkness cannot overcome the light!

Jesus, I trust in you! O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!