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“This day in David’s city a Savior has been born to you, the Messiah and Lord. Let this be a sign to you: in a manger you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes.” Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to those on whom His favor rests.”
The Gospel of Luke 2:1114
Today we enter into the Fourth Week of Advent. Christmas is only a few short days away. It may be a very busy time for you, but please make the time to read the first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke. You will read about Elizabeth, her husband Zechariah and the birth of their child who would be known as John the Baptist. You will read about the Archangel Gabriel, Mary and Joseph and the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. If you do this, you will likely be better prepared to celebrate with joy the birth of our Savior on Christmas Day.
And now, something for the people on your gift list. Perhaps you have already bought or made gifts, but here’s a suggestion for an additional gift for the people on your list. You do not need to go shopping; all you need is a few quiet moments to think a little more about how God works in our lives. God, and God alone, fulfills every authentic yearning of the human heart. He provides life and peace, wholeness and love, contentment and joy. So, sometime today or in the coming days, think of each person on your gift list and hold them in prayer before God. Pray that they, like the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Elizabeth, may joyfully recognize the presence of God in their midst. We can include ourselves in the prayer, so that we, too, might more fully recognize God’s presence in our lives.
May the stars which shone so brightly on that first Christmas Eve bring the light of hope to our families; may the voices of the angels fill us with joy; and may the Holy Family fill our hearts with the love that only the Christ child can bring. ¡Feliz Navidad!
