Christmas Meditation 2

I continue with the Christmas thoughts from Francis Fernandez's "In Conversation with God"

Adoration of the shepherds. Humility and simplicity in order to recognize Christ in our lives.

Let us rejoice in the Lord. For our Savior is born into the world; today true peace has come down on us from heaven (Entrance Antiphon, Midnight Mass). We have heard, my brethren, the announcement, full of sweetness and 'worthy of all acceptance' that 'Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is born in Bethlehem of Judah.' My very soul has melted at the sound of these words and my spirit is burning in my bosom, eager with its constant ardour of desire to communicate to you its own joy and exultation (St. Bernard, Sermons for Christmas Eve, 6:1)

Let us all set out to contemplate and adore Jesus, for we all need him. He is the only we really need.

..... our Savior is born. There can be no room for sadness when Life has just been born; that Life which overcomes all fear of death and fills us with the joy of the pledge of eternity. Nobody should feel excluded from sharing in such joy. Our reason for rejoicing is common to all, because Our Lord, destroyer of sin and death, not finding anyone free of sin has come to free us all. Let the just man rejoice, as victory approaches. Let the Gentile rejoice, for he is called to life.

For the Son, in the fullness of time....assumed our human nature in order to reconcile the human race with its Creator (St. Leo the Great, Sermon on the Birth of Our Lord, 1:3). Hence springs the joy of these feast-days, like a river overflowing its banks.

During these days of Christmas we sing with exultation because love will be among us till the end of time. The presence of the Child is Love among men; the world is no longer a place of darkness; those who seek love know where to find it. It is essentially love that each man needs - even those men who claim to be already fully satisfied.

Today, whenever we go to kiss an image of the Child Jesus, or contemplate a crib or meditate on this great mystery, let us thank God for having wanted to come down to us so that we could understand him and love him. Let us make up our minds to become as little children so as to enter one day into the kingdom of heaven. ... Your son was willing to share in our manhood; grant us a share in his godhead (Collect, Christmas Day). ....