“Having the Birth of Christ in our heart, and singing with conviction, ‘Joy in my life, the Lord has come!’”
(Based on Christmas – The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ)
A catechism teacher was explaining the reality of sin, to her 5th Standard (Grade) students.
She said: “Children, how does a worm get inside an apple?”
The question interested the students, and they keenly listened to the teacher, as she continued:
“Perhaps you think the worm burrows in from the outside?
No! Scientists have discovered that the worm comes from the inside.”
One of the students then asked: “But, how does the worm get in there?”
The teacher with a smile said, “Simple! An insect lays an egg in the apple blossom (bud).
Sometime later, the worm hatches in the heart of the apple…
… then eats it’s way out.”
She then continued: “Children, remember…
… Sin, like this worm, begins in the heart and works out through the person’s thoughts, words and actions. That’s why make sure you root out sin at its very beginning…
… and pluck it out, at the very first instance of its appearance!”
The world – steeped in sin – is celebrating the Birth of the One Who alone could root out sin…
… and this Momentous Instance is the Incarnation – when the Word became Flesh (Jn 1:14)
This is the Day when the Saviour of the World became human, so that ‘we could share in His Divinity!’
THIS IS CHRISTMAS!
On Christmas night, the Angel proclaimed with great joy to the “shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night: ‘To you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord’” (Lk 2:11)
When the Angel had appeared to Joseph, he said, “you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Mt 1:21)
The meaning of the Name Jesus is “God Saves!”
When Adam and Eve were created, they were to live in communion and obedience with God
However, they chose to misuse their freedom, and went against God; they broke away from Him!
But God could never abandon His people. We belong to the Lord, and He can never forsake us!
It is beautifully said: “The entire Salvation history can be summed up in 3 sentences.
- First, God said to human beings, ‘Do’
- Then human beings said to God, ‘We will not do’
- Then God said, ‘Then I will do for you!’”
God knew that human beings needed a Saviour.
And so when He took flesh, He came as a human being:
“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous!” (Rom 5:19)
Do we realise that we need a Saviour?
Do I personally realise that I need to have Jesus as my Saviour…
… and that this Christmas would only remain an external celebration, if I don’t offer my life with all my sins and weaknesses and uncertainties to Jesus, my Saviour!
It is beautiful to see that God always works best, in the worst or most weird scenarios of life!
The Bible speaks of this saga of God’s amazing wisdom in impossible and improbable situations!
Through the aged Abraham, God would form a nation who were to be the light to the Gentiles!
Despite the stammering mouth, God raised Moses as a leader to rescue Israel from slavery!
The unlikely shepherd boy David would be raised to the glory of being the greatest King of Israel!
Apparent barriers like Isaiah’s unclean lips and Jeremiah’s youthfulness would not stop them from being God’s Holy Prophets!
This consistency is hard to be missed: God’s glory shines best in moments of weakness and frailties!
Do we feel weak and fragile and burdened with sin and the struggles of life?
Do we feel that despite our best efforts, we seem to be only meeting with failures and rejections?
Then this Christmas, the Good News is for us: “To you is born this day… a Saviour… Christ the Lord”
As St Ambrose of Milan wonderfully exhorts: “Open wide your door to the one who comes.
Open your soul, throw open the depths of your heart to see
the riches of simplicity…
… the treasures of peace, the sweetness of grace.
Open your heart and run to meet the Sun of eternal light that illuminates all men!”
Let’s understand that “sin, like a worm, begins in the heart and works out through the person’s thoughts, words and actions.”
This Christmas, let us allow our Blessed Lord – our Saviour – to root it out at its very beginning…
… and pluck it out, at the very first instance of its appearance!
So that we may truly have the Birth of Christ in our heart, and thus sing with conviction, “Yes, Joy in my life, the Lord has come!”
Wish you a Blessed and Joyful Christmas!
God Bless! Let’s always… Live Jesus!
Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE VOCATION OF LAY PEOPLE
Since, like all the faithful, lay Christians are entrusted by God with the apostolate by virtue of their Baptism and Confirmation, they have the right and duty, individually or grouped in associations…
… to work so that the divine message of salvation may be known and accepted by all men throughout the earth.
This duty is the more pressing when it is only through them that men can hear the Gospel and know Christ. Their activity in ecclesial communities is so necessary that, for the most part, the apostolate of the pastors cannot be fully effective without it. (CCC # 900)
Reflection Capsules 