News - December 2024 RSS Feed

“…. And on entering the house they saw the child with Mary, his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” On this holy day, we mark the Epiphany of our LORD, who is presented to us today as king, priest and Savior. The three wise men/magi led by a star initially went to Herod to inform him that they had seen the star of the new born king of the Jews and have come to do him homage/worship. These men fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah and the Psalm of today. “Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come…from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense.” Is 2:1-6 “They … shall offer him gifts…All kings shall pay him homage.” Ps 72

On this feast day of the Holy family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, 2 families are presented to us in our 1st and gospel readings. In our first reading, Hannah went to the temple to present or dedicate her son, Samuel to the Lord for service in fulfillment of her promise. In her words, “Now I in turn, give him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.”

“And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth” Jn 1:14. Today, is the Universal Feast of the birth of Christ Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God and Savior of the world. In the Gospel, St. John using high Christology, said of the new born child: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (Jn 1:1) The birth of our Lord redeemer on this joyful day is full of many visible and beautiful symbols. We can see many here in our Church and we all have some in our homes and offices or work places. We can see the symbol of the manger where with Mary and Joseph, the new born child lays peacefully; reminding us that he is the prince of peace. We have the symbol of light reminding and teaching us that Christ the new born child is the light of the world who has come to dispel and cast away the darkness of evil, hatred, wickedness.

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, the love and grace of God has gathered us here to mark the holy, silent night when our savior was born. Certain days and nights are indeed special in our Christian life and gift of divine faith. Tonight is surely a special night when the whole world is keeping vigil in anticipation of the joyful birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In this week of the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior, prophet Micah tells us that he shall come from Bethlehem, “When she who is to give birth has borne,… he shall stand firm and shepherd us his flock. He will rely on the strength of the Lord God. His greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth and he shall be peace.”

This 3rd Sunday of Advent is traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday (Rejoice) Latin translation of Phil 4:4-5. The first, second readings and the Psalm all speak of joy, gladness and praise. “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel…Be glad and exult with all your heart, the Lord …has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the LORD is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear,…fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged… The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty Savior; He will sing joyfully because of you...”

Dear beloved in Christ Jesus, as we enter more deeply into our Advent journey, the prophet of the Lord, Baruch invites us all to make low the mountain and fill up the emptiness in our lives. In the words of the Prophet, “For God has commanded that every lofty mountain be made low, and that the age-old depths and gorges be filled to level ground.”