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January 5, 2012 Saint John Neumann
Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children! Today, in a special way, I desire to take you to and give you over to my Son. Little children, open your hearts and permit Jesus to be born in you, because only in this way, little children, you yourselves will be able to experience your new birth and set out with Jesus in your hearts towards the way of salvation. Thank you for having responded to my call." (December 25, 2011 Jakov)
During our internet Rosary the other day Denis and I were discussing this message received by Jakov on Christmas Day. We both were trying to understand how Jesus can be born in us, as Our Lady desires. We have heard this request from her many times, and every time I just file it away as one of those mysterious and seemingly impossible things that will just have to wait for its time to be fulfilled. I just don't get it!
Well yesterday, I got an email from Rocky, a very wise and prayerful friend. She offered this understanding of Jakov's message:
I am just writing to weigh in on your wondering what it means to have Jesus be born in your heart (at least I think that was your question). I think the answer to that question is - there are as many ways for that to happen as there are members in the Body of Christ. Each of us has a unique relationship with Christ, thus the many different ways He can be born again & carried in our hearts.
For me, every time I read something from Pope Benedict or the Scriptures basically saying to me to quiet myself so I can hear God speak in the silence of my heart, that is the way for me to get a new birth to Christ. I have to become impoverished of and in myself to make room for Jesus. (Probably why St. Martha chose me as my partner saint this year!) Hopefully you'll get many responses to your question & I can't wait to hear them!
Rocky, you are a genius! Yes, of course, Jesus comes to be born in us - uniquely. We each have our unique humanity to offer Him, our unique set of gifts and attributes through which He can live, and love, through us!
Then I was reading the second reading of the Office for Wednesday, from January 2 to Epiphany, and Saint Maximus the Confessor basically said the same thing:
"The Word of God, born once in the flesh (such is His kindness and his goodness), is always willing to be born spiritually in those who desire Him. In them He is born as an infant as He fashions Himself in them by means of their virtues. He reveals Himself to the extent that He knows someone is capable of receiving Him. He diminishes the revelation of His glory not out of selfishness but because He recognizes the capacity and resources of those who desire to see Him. Yet, in the transcendence of mystery, He always remains invisible to all."  Image via Wikipedia
This is very helpful. Jesus is "wiling to be born spiritually in those who desire Him". Jesus wants to come to us as surely as He came to Mary, to dwell in our hearts if we desire Him, if we long for Him to come. He will come, invisibly, to dwell within us, and reveal Himself to us gently through our virtues, our capacities to accept Him. He will be acting in us through our virtuous deeds, thoughts, desires, prayers, and longings. He will be revealed through our sufferings embraced out of love, our own crosses. Jesus will be made manifest in us as we grow in holiness through His presence within.
This then is how we experience our new birth! We become born into holiness through Jesus' presence within us, changing us and drawing us along the road to salvation. I think this is so beautiful. Jesus must really love us to want to be born in us. The Holy Spirit must really love us to be the catalyst of His birth in us. And the Father must really love us to want us to become so like His Son by this process. Thanks be to God for such a salvation!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy Nolan ©Mary TV 2012 |
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