PRAISED BE JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH!
In the beginning was the Word and
the Word was with God and the Word was God…and the Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us. With the shepherds, our eyes behold a baby wrapped in swaddling
clothes and lying in a manger. This baby is the Word of God who was made flesh.
We look at the baby and we realize that through him, God is engaging in a
conversation with us. “In times past, God spoke to our ancestors through the
prophets…now, he speaks to us through his Son.” He speaks to us through his Son. “Christ is the ‘eternal Gospel’ (Rev 14:6); he ‘is the same yesterday and
today and forever’ (Heb 13:8),
yet his riches and beauty are inexhaustible. He is forever young and a constant
source of newness. The Church never fails to be amazed at ‘the depth of the
riches and wisdom and knowledge of God’ (Rom 11:33).” (Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 11.) We look at
the baby Jesus and in him is found that depth of Divine riches, wisdom and
knowledge. Year after year, we celebrate Christmas. Year after year, we look at
the baby in the manger and yet, we are always amazed at what we see. There is
always something new to discover about him. His riches and beauty are
inexhaustible. He is forever young. Forever he is a source of newness.
At Christmas, as
always, we encounter Jesus made flesh in the Eucharist. But we also encounter
him made flesh in his word. Jesus is the Word of the Father. He engages us in a
unique and personal conversation…a transformative conversation. In Jesus his
Son, he tells us that he loves us. In the Baby Jesus, he begs to be loved by
us. This conversation of love is an invitation to communion with him – for
isn’t every conversation meant to promote understanding, acceptance, and
communion? And we must be willing to be surprised at what the Word is able to
do in our lives. The Word that comes from the Father’s mouth is so powerful.
This is the Word through whom all things were made. In this Word, all things
continue to exist. “God’s word is
unpredictable in its power. The Gospel speaks of a seed which, once sown, grows
by itself, even as the farmer sleeps (Mk 4:26-29). The Church has to accept
this unruly freedom of the word, which accomplishes what it wills in ways that
surpass our calculations and ways of thinking.” (EG, 22.) But wherever the Word
takes us…it will definitely take us out of our loneliness, fears, and sin. He
will definitely bring us joy. “In Christ, joy is born anew.”
The Word
does not only bring us to communion. Our communion with him transforms us into
missionaries. “The Church’s closeness to Jesus is part of a common journey; ‘communion
and mission are profoundly interconnected’. In
fidelity to the example of the Master, it is vitally important for the Church
today to go forth and preach the Gospel to all: to all places, on all
occasions, without hesitation, reluctance or fear. The joy of the Gospel is for
all people: no one can be excluded. That is what the angel proclaimed to the
shepherds in Bethlehem: ‘Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a
great joy which will come to all the people’ (Lk 2:10). The Book of Revelation speaks
of ‘an eternal Gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation
and tongue and tribe and people (Rev 14:6).’
[EG, 23.] Therefore, like the shepherds who proclaimed to all what they have
heard and seen, let us go forth and proclaim Christ, the Eternal Gospel. Go
tell it on the mountain, over the hill and everywhere. Go tell it on the
mountain that Jesus Christ is born. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the
feet of him who brings glad tidings,
announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, saying to Zion:
“Your God is King.”
Jesus, I
trust in you. O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to
thee.
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