“Readying to usher in the New Year, with Jesus, the Word taking complete flesh in us!”
(Based on 1 Jn 2:12-17 and Lk 2:36-40 – Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas)
Let’s play a game together.
(I know, it will be a bit impractical to play… yet, let’s give it a try)
As they say, “there is no harm in trying to achieve something worthwhile in life!”
The name of the game is “Guess the Word!”
Ok… Ready?
Here we go… All that you need to do is to “Guess which word I am thinking now…!”
Yeah, you read it right… Just guess the Word that I am thinking of… now!
Did I hear someone say “God?”
Well… You are wrong!
“New Year?”
… Wrong again!
Hmmm… “Resolution?”… “Cross?”… “Celebration?”… “Chocolate?”… “Christmas?”
Sorry… but they are wrong
Another try? … Ok
“Selfie?”… “Food”… “Suffering?”… “Mass?”… “Books?”… “Flower?”… “Sleeping?”
… or some other words?
Well… sad to say… all your guesses turned out to be wrong!
The right answer
… the word that I am thinking of now is “Pencil!”
Did anyone get it right?
I doubt…
If you ask me, why was I thinking of a “pencil”
… I will say, “Well, just simply! No reason”
It would have taken you a very long time to guess that word…
… and probably, you would even have never guessed that word!
Not that it was too difficult or something abstract…
But simply because there is almost no other way you can think the Word that I have in mind, unless I myself tell it to you!
The point of this game is… “The Word that was thought” will be known only if it is “revealed!”
… Is it not?
Now let’s take this concept of “Guessing the Word” to the Divine Realm…
Human Beings at every point of time in every civilization, every culture, have sought to know and establish a link and relationship with the Divine
… to know what is the mind of the Divine
… to guess what is the plan of the Almighty
… to discern what is the thought of the Supernatural
Some philosophers sought to crack this code by drawing out many theories
Some sages and prophets spent time in deep contemplation and wrote many literature
Some noble thinkers dedicated their entire lives to put forward doctrines and teachings
Some of these we call it as religions.
Some as way of life.
Some as philosophies of life.
But none of them were able to know and discern the Divine clearly.
It was just as we played the “guessing the word” game…
Many guesses were attempted… some were close… yet, none were fully right!
The Word in the mind of the Divine would be known only if it is revealed!
And that spectacular instant of revelation is what we call as Incarnation of the Word!
The Divine Historic Moment when the Almighty revealed His Word is called Incarnation!
We read in today’s Gospel reading… John 1: 14, “And the Word became flesh!”
The Word in the mind of God took human form in Jesus!
Jesus is the visible, the revealed and the manifested Word of God!
Jesus is the Son of God… Jesus is God, the Son!
Jesus is the Word made flesh… Jesus is God in human flesh!
What is the impact of this most unique and most spectacular event of history… Incarnation?
Humanity which had strayed has found another chance to be re-united.
Human beings steeped in sin were provided with an opportunity to be redeemed.
Humanity is empowered not with abstract human teachings, but by the Divine Person
This is what makes Christianity different from all other ways of life or religions
This is what makes Christianity unique among all other philosophies of life
It is utter absurdity for philosophers, for the Infinite to become finite
It is purely mythical for the naturalist, for the Transcendent to be understood
It is totally unscientific for the rationalist, for Fullness to be reduced to limitedness
But This is The Truth.
This is the Reality.
In Incarnation, the God of Love was now wrapped in human flesh.
… the Almightiness of God moved in a human arm.
… the Love of God now beat in a human heart.
… the Wisdom of God now spoke from human lips.
… the Mercy of God reached forth from human hands.
You and I are the beneficiaries of knowing the answer of this game “Guessing the Word” which humanity was engaged with the Divine, for centuries!
Jesus is that answer!
And Jesus can be the answer to all the problems and difficulties of our lives.
Have we allowed Him – Jesus, the Word – to take flesh in ourselves?
Have we permitted Him – Jesus the Word – to have an impact in our lifestyle?
Have we consented to Him – Jesus, the Word – to become the totality of our lives?
We are on the last day of this year 2022
… and at the threshold of yet another New Year.
As we thank the Lord for the gift of this year…
… with its ups and downs
… with its learnings and experiences
… with its joyful events and sad moments
Let us also realize that…
… There can be no spectacular resolve
… There can be no greater discovery
… There can be no better resolution
… There can be no higher decision
… than to allow JESUS, THE WORD to take firm and absolute control of our lives!
Are we ready to usher in the New Year 2023, with Jesus, the Word taking complete flesh in us?
Yes, He is The Only Way… The Only Truth… >> The Only Life – JESUS, THE WORD REVEALED AND MADE FLESH!
Thank You, Lord, for the Year 2022 that has gone by.
We seek to be Holier and “belonging to You more” in this New Year 2023!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
IN THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS
In the communion of saints, “a perennial link of charity exists between the faithful who have already reached their heavenly home, those who are expiating their sins in purgatory and those who are still pilgrims on earth.
Between them there is, too, an abundant exchange of all good things.”
In this wonderful exchange, the holiness of one profits others, well beyond the harm that the sin of one could cause others.Thus recourse to the communion of saints lets the contrite sinner be more promptly and efficaciously purified of the punishments for sin. (CCC #1475)
Reflection Capsules 