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Home Sections The Daily B.R.E.A.D. Dec 24, 2009 - Thursday Meditation (This is the Day that the Lord Has Made, REJOICE and be GLAD!)
Dec 24, 2009 - Thursday Meditation (This is the Day that the Lord Has Made, REJOICE and be GLAD!) PDF Print E-mail
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Sections - The Daily B.R.E.A.D.
Written by Bobot Apit   
Saturday, 19 December 2009 02:48

Z echariah’s exclamation about Jesus remains true for all time: “In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet unto the way of peace.”  For this is indeed the day that the Lord has made, so let us rejoice and be glad in it.

 

Thursday in the Fourth Week of Advent

 

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16

 

Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29

 

L uke 1:67-79 And his father Zechari'ah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, (68) "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people, (69) and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, (70) as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, (71) that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; (72) to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, (73) the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, (74) to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, (75) in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. (76) And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, (77) to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, (78) through the tender mercy of our God, when the day shall dawn upon us from on high (79) to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." 

 

Meditation by Dick Hauser, S.J.

 

“In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us. to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet unto the way of peace.”

 

Christmas is about Christ —  it’s Christ’s mass!

 

Alas, in our culture this obvious fact does not seem to be recognized by everyone.  I was saddened by a recent conversation with a student, a baptized and confirmed Christian, who does not celebrate Christmas because he is alienated by the materialism and superficiality of it all. 

 

I responded to him simply: Christmas is what you make it.  Make it about Christ!

 

His cynicism prompted me to reflect more deeply on my own reasons for celebrating the season.    Is Christ truly central?


I ask myself a question: what do I value the most about the historical life of Jesus that warrants such celebration? The simplicity of his birth in a stable in Bethlehem ?  The unpretentiousness of his village life as a carpenter for thirty years in Nazareth ? His public ministry proclaiming the absolute priority of love of God and others over all else, love especially for the poor? His example of  forgiveness even of enemies? His courage in  witnessing to his message despite persecution by Jewish and Roman authorities? His willingness to die for his convictions while forgiving his persecutors from the cross? His absolute trust in his most dear Father?

 

And I ask another question: what do I value about my faith in Jesus as universal  Saviour of humankind -- and my own personal Saviour — warranting such celebration?   I realize that my faith in Jesus enables me to live in daily communion with Jesus enabling him to give light and strength for every area of my life — relationships, work, health, social concerns on local, national and international levels.  And I realize that communion with Jesus is there especially during difficult times when I needed extra guidance and strength: “Come to me all you who labor and are burdened and I will give rest to your souls. ” Never has Jesus left me to face my problems alone.

 

Hopefully Jesus is the central reason for my celebrating this Christmas, though I admit that Christmas remains the highpoint of my  year for celebrating and feasting with family and friends. But I am not apologetic.  Is there any other event in history  that warrants  celebrating and feasting as much as  birth on our planet of Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

 

Zechariah’s exclamation about Jesus remains true for all time: “In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet unto the way of peace.”  For this is indeed the day that the Lord has made, so let us rejoice and be glad in it.

 

Supplementary Reading

 

CHRISTmAS VISITATIoN

 

 . . . and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased . . . – Matthew 17:12

 

 

A speaker in one of our seminars challenged us to be more generous and give more than usual. On top of this, he wants us to give with a joyful spirit and expect to be blessed. It was almost Christmas season then and I accepted the challenge willingly. My wife and I did it with flying colors and the Lord blessed us as promised — tangibly and intangibly. Thank God we responded to the call.

 

On Christmas Eve, I was driving with my wife and we made a full stop a few meters away from an intersection. A band of street kids were begging from vehicle to vehicle. Some of them were unruly and bullied the other kids as they begged. This caused them to practically gang up on us and hit the door of my vehicle while one of them was riding on our sideboard. I was irritated! Instead of giving as I had resolved to do, I ignored them and angrily changed lane so that they would get off. I opened the door and even scolded one of them.

 

Was my anger justified? I guess so. But did I act as Jesus would? No. I should have been more generous with my patience. After all, they’re just kids. I failed to recognize Him who visited me.

 

He resides in each one… even in the difficult ones. --- Ariel Driz

 

REFLECTION:

 

Am I conscious of the Lord’s presence in each person? Am I generous? Am I generously patient?


Lord, thank You for reminding me of Your constant presence. Let me recognize Your time of visitation. Amen.

  

For meditation/readings of the previous days/months , please click any of the following links:
http://his-ways-better-than-our-ways.blogspot.com/
http://www.mabuhayradio.com/sections/the-daily-bread.html
http://butuanglobalforum.org/cgi-bin/dboard/YaBB.pl?num=1229339492/220


 
Daily Mass and Gospel Meditation Broadcast (Tagalog) thru DWXI (5am Phil Time), pls click this link:  http://www.eradioportal.com/index.php?p=2&aid=1&sid=62#STS=g1jais7y.zk6

GOD BLESS US ALL!
O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU.
 

 

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