One week from today it will be Christmas Day! As we approach this wonderful event of Our Lord's Birth, I thought we could meditate on some of the "moments" leading up to that Day in history!
Each day from the 18th to the 24th of December, the Liturgy of the Hours has a special "O" Antiphon, which is recited before and after the Canticle of Mary. Here is todays Traditional one:
O Adonai, and Leader of the house of Israel,
you appeared to Moses in the flame of the
burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai:
come, and with an outstretched arm, redeem us.
you appeared to Moses in the flame of the
burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai:
come, and with an outstretched arm, redeem us.
Imagine how much anxiety Mary and Joseph were filled with as they went from door to door seeking shelter, and all they received was refusal after refusal for any hospitality! After all, Jesus was about to be born, and any refusal was a refusal to Him.
Mother Mary was about to give humanity Her Child, but humanity did not want to receive Him.
Finally, they found a cave, which was so cold, like the world, except for an ox and a donkey. They had nothing, they were the poorest of the poor, yet they had the greatest Treasure of all, Jesus!
Is that why God loves the poor so much (Blessed are the poor, they shall inherit the kingdom), in imitation of Mary and Joseph and Jesus, born into poverty! Is that why God loves us so much when we are detached from material things. That way we become like little children, relying on the Father's Providence, as Mary and Joseph did. And when we possess this virtue of detachment, this nothingness, we are then led by the Holy Spirit and we become docile to the Father's Will. Then we will understand the Gospel and live Jesus word's.
The world does not understand these things because it is wrapped up in materialism, it cannot see the mystery and awesomeness of Almighty God, who gave us the Law on Sinai; and gave us Jesus, His Only-begotten Son in Bethlehem!
Let us stay close to the Heart of Mother Mary, She is our safe refuge in our journey to Christ, our Savior!
Mother Mary was about to give humanity Her Child, but humanity did not want to receive Him.
Finally, they found a cave, which was so cold, like the world, except for an ox and a donkey. They had nothing, they were the poorest of the poor, yet they had the greatest Treasure of all, Jesus!
Is that why God loves the poor so much (Blessed are the poor, they shall inherit the kingdom), in imitation of Mary and Joseph and Jesus, born into poverty! Is that why God loves us so much when we are detached from material things. That way we become like little children, relying on the Father's Providence, as Mary and Joseph did. And when we possess this virtue of detachment, this nothingness, we are then led by the Holy Spirit and we become docile to the Father's Will. Then we will understand the Gospel and live Jesus word's.
The world does not understand these things because it is wrapped up in materialism, it cannot see the mystery and awesomeness of Almighty God, who gave us the Law on Sinai; and gave us Jesus, His Only-begotten Son in Bethlehem!
Let us stay close to the Heart of Mother Mary, She is our safe refuge in our journey to Christ, our Savior!
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