Christmas Eve
Scripture:
2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
Luke 1:67-79
Reflection:
"In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us" Luke 1:78
A priest was leaving the Holy Land by the Israeli air lines. He had bought a crib set for his parish and was stopped by security. They said they must X-ray the set to check for explosives. He said: "they had no idea how explosive these figures were!" If only we all knew how explosive this dramatic moment in history really is!
At Christmas we celebrate the most volatile moment of creation when God united Himself with humanity by taking on human flesh. "And the Word became flesh!" Mary gave back to the Father his Son forever joined with "flesh and blood". John 6:56 How awesome it is to think of the incredible greatness of God who runs the whole universe with its billions of galaxies "to break in upon us". The Gospel of Luke shares with us the depths of God’s care for us in this mystery by using the Greek word splagchnon. It is used some 22 times to describe God’s feelings for us. It means from our most intimate self, our inner physical organs, we feel tender compassion for another. It is among the most passionate words of the New Testament! "The tender compassion (splagchon) shall break upon us." Lk 1:78
How incredibly blessed we are that God is so fond of us! The whole world seems to light up at Christmas time. Even those of us who are not very intimate with the mystery of Christ feel the excitement of God’s sunrise, His anatolē in the original Greek text. Lights for the Light of the World. The still unconscious and unborn John the Baptist jumped in His mother’s womb when visited by the pregnant Mary. The whole world is a stir with the presence of Christ is among us!
Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.