Matthew 5:3: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
Poor
in spirit: those who recognize their complete dependence on God. (USCCB)
Happy New Year to all of you! I pray the holidays found
you surrounded in the peace and the joy of the new born Christ-Child. It seems
that no matter what family problems we must face all year long, no matter how
annoying fellow workers can be, no matter how much heartache we suffer at the
hands of others, we can always find a place of solace and relief in front of
the manger and the outstretched hands of the baby Jesus.
As it has been
said before, there is something so profoundly humbling about seeing the wood of
the manger cradling the baby Jesus, and realizing that prophetically it becomes
the wood of the cross that hung Him for our sins. His little outstretched arms
and reaching hands will one day be nailed to the wood and bleed for us. Yet,
here He is, like all of us: trusting, loving, and reaching out. We can see
ourselves in this little baby as we try to place ourselves in the world and at
the mercy of those in it. Sometimes it works out just great. We find solid
friendships and loving relationships just as Christ did with His apostles and
disciples. Sometimes our efforts are rejected, scorned and even hated by those
who don’t understand us or by those who feel threatened by us, like the holy
men of Jesus’ time. And then there is the beat of life which takes us into
situations over which we sweat blood and beg God to remove from our lives, just
as Christ did in the Garden of Olives.
But for now, in the glow of the holy days, it is good
enough to gaze upon the baby Jesus, to soak in His innocent love and reach for
His little hands, to touch His little
fingers, and let Him know we love Him, and we know He loves us. As we look at
Mary with her eyes fixed on her son, let us remember to keep our eyes fixed on
Him as well in this New Year, and as we study Joseph, ever vigilant and prepared
to follow the messages of God, let us vow to do the same with our lives and the
lives of those we love. Let us vow to keep our souls free from the dangers of
the world and be prepared to flee from sin as quickly as Joseph fled with his
family from the terrors of Herod and his army.
I have a little scene I like to play out in my mind as
I study my nativity scene: The shepherds and kings come to the stable, kneel
before the baby Jesus and look curiously at Mary. She smiles sweetly and says
to them: “My children, meet God.”
