Christian Reflection and Prayer

Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalms 24:1-6; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24

"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son and they will call Him Immanuel, a name which means God-is-with-us" (Mt. 1:23). 

A woman named Betty tried to cram all of her Christmas preparations into a single day.  Starting at 9 a.m., she shopped her entire Christmas list, bought a Christmas tree and poinsettias, ordered a turkey, carried home the groceries for Christmas dinner, brought up from the basement the big box of Christmas lights and tree decorations and, finally, at midnight, finished carefully gift-wrapping presents for her husband, Herb, and their three daughters.

Wearily, she began to congratulate herself on a job well-done -- and then, suddenly, she remembered: "The Christmas cards! I forgot to send the Christmas cards."  Tired, but determined, she signed and prepared for mailing all eighty-nine cards on her list.  Then she topped off her day's work by writing a check to a department store.  When the holidays were over, the extent of her exhaustion at the end of that busy day became apparent.  Her check to the department store was returned by the bank with an "Incorrect Signature" notation.  She had signed the check, "Betty, Herb and the girls."

In a Roman Catholic elementary school, a few days before Christmas, the curtain was about to go up on a Nativity play.  The centerpiece of the set was a creche, complete with statues of Mary, Joseph, the three Wise Men, shepherds, sheep and other animals.  Two nuns were busy making last-minute adjustments to the children's costumes.  The school principal was standing by, keeping an eye on the preparations.  Suddenly, in a panic, one of the nuns rushed up to her and said, "Mother Superior, we forgot the Baby Jesus."  With a wry smile, Mother Superior replied,

"THAT'S EXACTLY THE TROUBLE WITH THIS WORLD!"

Christmas is nearly upon us.  And even though you may have forgotten a thing or two in your Christmas preparations, it's "Don't-forget-the-Baby-Jesus" time.  It's time to ponder the meaning of the Incarnation, for your life and for the lives of all others.

In today's Gospel Lesson -- Matthew's account of the birth of Jesus Christ -- we read ...

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son and they will call Him Immanuel, a name which means "God-is-with-us" (Mt. 1:23).

We ponder the Mystery of the Incarnation as we prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate on Christmas Day the indescribable Gift of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  The Mystery of the Incarnation is at the very heart of our Christian Faith.  God gave us His Son to be our Immanuel: God with us.  And that is at the very essence of the Christmas Message.