predication.net

We are finishing the candle flame of this year. In a few hours, this year will be history. Before the twelfth stroke of the old year strikes and a new leaf begins to be written, before we toast and congratulate each other on all that is good and what we deem necessary and beneficial for the coming year, let us pause, take stock of the ending of the old year, and give thanks for all the graces, the blessings we have received from God.

John wrote to us about our God, who came among us as one like us in all things except sin: “He came into his own, and his own did not receive him. But to those who did receive him, he gave them the power to become children of God.” (Jn. 1:11-12). We could not have wished for anything more beautiful than that God had come among us, that He had lived the same life and under the same circumstances, even though it was almost two millennia ago and in Palestine. His life from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, from the manger to the cross, speaks of love and love again. Out of its fullness, we have all received grace upon grace. He has shown us the way where we should not have known the consequences of sin, which we remember today and as the year ends. Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, true God with the Father and the Holy Spirit, desires our presence in union with God for all eternity. No one and no one has ever seen God. The only-begotten Son of God, who is in the bosom of the Father, the one who brought the news of him. This tiding is not only stopping at the manger but stopping on the last day of the civil year. He, whom we call the Word and who was initially, desires that we all believe through him.

A serious part of our lives is coming to an end. How many more do we have ahead of us? None of us can be sure that a year from now, he will be among the living, that even next New Year’s Eve, we will be allowed, by this God here on earth, to give thanks and to give thanks. That is not in our hands, nor is what now ends. We can no longer wipe out, erase, erase anything of what was. We do not pull back the Word; we do not stop the deed; even the thought in our mind is known to God. What can we do if we cannot change the past and are not masters of the future? The answer is clear. To experience the present in union with God. To realize the value of the present moment. The most precious moment in life is the one we live. It doesn’t come back any more than the water in the river comes back. You can’t stop it, so don’t even worry about what the future will bring. We need to live now, and for us, that means living in the presence of God. As we will read before midnight from the Book of Ecclesiastes, “Everything has its time and its moment every effort under the heaven. It’s time to be born; it’s time to die; it’s time to plant; it’s time to pluck up seedlings… It’s time to weep; it’s time to laugh. Its time to grieve, its time to dance…” (Eccl. 3:1-4). We know an incident from the life of the great saint St. Ignatius, who once said to his professor St. Francis Xavier, “What profit is there for a man to gain the whole world, but to suffer damage to the soul?” A vain young man and professor, eager for glory, set out to seek Christ. He does it perfectly. When he finds him, he declares: “He who has once known Christ will not be able to resist, lest he is overcome. But I assure you that there is no greater cross than to crucify oneself if we want to belong to Christ.”

Therefore, the motto of the spiritual family founded by St. Ignatius and of which St. Francis Xavier became a member is: “Everything for the greater honor and glory of God!” – “Omnia ad maiorem Dei Gloriam!” When we look back on our ending year in the spirit of these words, we have much to correct, improve, and renounce. This year is coming to an end. Let us entrust it to God’s mercy, to God’s love, and to those resolutions, earnestly meant, that in this new year we want to live more seriously the teachings of our Redeemer and Savior, in living the present moments, all to the more incredible honor and glory of God! This is lived out daily from waking up until the final realization on the bedside tonight that nothing that is not connected to God is meaningless and can only serve to our shame and damnation one day.

Before the candle of the ending year is extinguished, before the last stroke of the twelfth-hour strikes, let us take stock of our parish year, how we have fulfilled our duties… Let us remember that these numbers do not tell the whole story. Statistics can tell us a lot, but what is decisive is our inferiority, our relationship with God, our parish fulfillment of the duties that God asks of us, and the Church requires us.

Everyday life brings us to situations where we have to speak out, comfort, and warn about something or someone. We cannot imagine our life without, among other things, witnessing. But we know that seeing is not the same for everything and everyone. It has its criteria.

Among the most serious is the life of the one giving testimony. Luke in the Gospel says: “Now there was living at that time Anna the prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was already advanced in years. She lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, then as a widow until her eighty-fourth year. She did not leave the temple; she served God day and night with fasting and prayers. At that very moment, she also came, praising God and speaking of Him to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem” (Lk 2:36-39). The second witness, Anna, is before our eyes to testify that Jesus is the awaited Redeemer. Her testimony does not take away from her old age, her condition of being a widow, quite the contrary. Her life is full of value before God and before the nation who knew her from her work in the temple. Reading carefully, one wonders: What were the words of her prophecy? We know the prophetic words of Simeon. Why don’t we know her forecast? What fact makes us think that the report of Hannah had a different role in this event? Indeed, Luke wants to point to the pattern of the Christian widow. We know that the chosen people in the majority did not accept Jesus as the Messiah. Especially not the teachers and leaders, the Pharisees and scribes. But Jesus was born by tax collectors, sinners, simple people, especially women. Anna’s position in Israel was not enviable. A woman without a husband, without offspring, and yet she gave her life value, meaning, as we see from the words, “She did not leave the temple; she served God day and night with fasting and prayers.” (2,37). She prays not for herself but her nation, for its salvation, for the early coming of the Redeemer.

It has happened to me more than once that I have heard the snide remark that our faith is the faith of women and older adults. It is not entirely true. After all, I see young people in the Church; I see men too. Why not more is a matter for another debate. But what this is saying to us is that such a state of affairs must not lead us to small-mindedness, to inferiority. Whoever penetrates this issue and understands it correctly will not be surprised by the following words. We shall one day know the value of the prayers of the aged and the sick, whom many despise. We shall know what value they have had before God, what they have preserved us from, how many graces and blessings they have bestowed upon us. Often that grandmother, grandfather, whom we underestimated, who had no kind word for them, no smile, whose hands trembled, and for whom we had only an expression of irony, “go pray, go to church,” they have begotten for us the necessary graces.

Let us not look at the problem of old age and illness as a burden on society, on the family. On the contrary, many believers typically realize this only in old age: he must thank God for all he neglected in his youth when he was healthy or lazy… We usually see tears, according to older adults. These are tears of the pain of the body and the pain of the soul. They rightly mourn their sins. They realize what sin is, what an insult to God it is. So often, they have committed it, perhaps not even repenting, not forgiving… Grandchildren, granddaughters, take notice of your grandparents! They often pray for you too. Yes, they want to give you something precious and beautiful. But you do not accept them. You do not know how to appreciate their love. Old and sick brothers and sisters should also read this Gospel more so that they may realize that old age is not just a pursuit so that they may leave as much as possible to their children and grandchildren. It is a sad sight to see a grandmother, a grandfather, who is throaty, chasing after mammon, which anyway distances their children from God when they cannot appreciate their efforts. Old and sick brothers and sisters, enjoy your old age, peace, and rest! Rest, use the time to forgive, thank and glorify the Lord God! Your time is more fulfilling than that of the young. You will stand before God, before whom you will bear witness to your life. What kind of testimony will it be without God when indifference, disinterest in God, prevail?

To you, who regularly come to the temple in season and not current, who make such great sacrifices, I want to thank you for your example, for the power of your witness, and your relationship to our faith, to Jesus. I want to wish you much more strength, graces, and, above all, what you desire most of all, namely, a peaceful departure before Jesus Christ, the Judge of the living and the dead.

Yes, the Church cannot imagine its activity without the witness of the young, but also of you – the previously born. Let us realize that the Church also needs the witness of you men, fathers, brothers, dear young friends. This is a severe challenge for us at the end of this year.

It would be tough to imagine a group of people, after committing original sin, without laws, commands, and ordinances to help guide the actions of life. They become a guide, a direction, a help. Laws must not harm. Though they often carry penalties and punishments, we understand them as beneficial to society.

The Church has its regulations, laws, and teachings, but they do not deprive us of freedom of decision. Every person who uses reason and free will must be aware of the rewards or punishments of their life. This Gospel, too, tells us of the Mosaic Law’s ordinance concerning the day of purification, which is, “Every male that opens his mother’s womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and that they should offer, as the Law of the Lord preaches, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” (Lk. 2:23).

The Law of Moses is also known to Mary and Joseph, who are married before the world. They know about the Law God gave to Moses that “whatever is the firstborn among your animals and whatever is male shall belong to the Lord” The Law continues, “Every firstborn of your children you shall redeem. And when in the future your son asks you, “What does this mean?”, you shall answer him thus: “By a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Because Pharaoh was reluctant to let us go, the Lord slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of men to the firstborn of cattle. Now, therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord everything that opens the womb if it is male, and I redeem every firstborn Son of mine.” (Ex. 13:12-14). This is a sign that the Lord has brought the nation out of Egypt. Moses in the Book of Leviticus also specifies the time of purification. It was on the fortieth day after the birth of a boy and the eightieth day after the birth of a girl. During all this time, the mother did not show herself in public. The mother considered herself Levitical unclean for 40 days after the boy’s birth and therefore underwent the rite of purification in the temple. Also, by this provision, the Law reminded the Jews of the widespread nature of sin to arouse a desire for spiritual cleansing.

Mary was conceived without sin, became a mother in a supernatural and holy manner, and was therefore not sinful, and so was not subject to the rite of purification. Nevertheless, she submits to this ordinance out of humility and obedience to the sacred Law not to offend anyone. On the fortieth day after giving birth, she goes to the temple to undergo the ceremony and offer her Son to God. We see that the poverty of the Holy Family is also manifested in the sacrifice of purification. The rich were to sacrifice a lamb. The poorer families were allowed relief and given two turtledoves or two pigeons for the gift. In Jerusalem, there lived a man named Simeon, a righteous and religious man, who looked for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. The Holy Spirit revealed that he would not die until he saw the Lord’s Messiah. Led by the Holy Spirit, he entered the temple. And when the parents were bringing the child Jesus to fulfill the Law, he took him in his arms and praised God, saying, “Now, Lord, you will release your servant in peace according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all nations: a light for the enlightenment of the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel your people.” (Lk 2:29-32). We see that Joseph is referred to as the “father” of Jesus, even though in reality he is only the tutor. Simeon’s words speak of the future persecution of this “child.” When they persecute the Son, his mother will suffer as well. There will be a sorting of the spirits in Israel and all humanity. People will be divided: some will follow Jesus, others will oppose him, to their detriment and destruction. Jesus himself later confirmed Simeon’s words during his appearance: “I have come to set a son against his father, a daughter against her mother…” (Mt 10:35). Jesus also says of himself: “It is not peace that I have brought, but a sword.” (Mt 10:34). The Law of Jesus can be known by every cultured person today. None of us can pretend not to know it. We also know that ignorance does not excuse ignorance.

We can take encouragement from today’s saint – Thomas Becket, and the martyrs under King Henry II. Thomas is his best friend. He makes him chancellor, and together, they oppress the Church. After the death of the aged Bishop of Canterbury, though Thomas resists, the King appoints him Bishop. Thomas changes. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that he receives at his priestly and episcopal ordination. Friends become enemies, but only on the King’s side. Thomas defends the Church with his own life. He was once opposed, he burned for the King, but after his ordination, he burned only for the honor and glory of God. He was forced to flee to England. As a monk, he lives in France. But his place is at home, in England. Here he dies on the altar steps under the knights’ swords. The King recovers and repents.

The lesson for us: always remain faithful to God’s laws, even when we have to make sacrifices or even die.

Some people have negatively made history. King Herod is one of them, who is still looked down upon after two millennia, who had boys under two years of age slaughtered in and around Bethlehem, and whose feast day we celebrate today.

God told the wise men through an angel to return home another way, not how they came. After the departure of the Magi, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: “Arise, take the child and his mother with you, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I let you know, for Herod will seek the child to destroy him.” (Mt. 2:13). Let us explain the events surrounding Herod. Herod came from neither a purely Jewish nor a royal family. His mother was a Gentile – an Arab, his father an Antipater, he was a Judaizing Imudean. He was tenacious but cruel, foxy cunning, and egotistical. He was loyal to the Roman rulers, who allowed him to be a domestic king for nearly half a century over the terrorized Jews. He was initiated into the mysteries of diplomacy by his father. So did his brother Parcel. After the murder of their father, thanks to the Romans, the brothers became tetrarch administrators, which was the first step to rule. Emperor Octavian, in 40 BC – the birth of Christ, appointed Herod king of Judah. He came entirely under the power of the Romans, thus fulfilling the prophetic prediction of James about the removal of the scepter of Judah (cf. Gen. 49:10).

From that time on, the loss of the national and religious freedom of the chosen people is already quite clear. Herod was a gifted and calculating ruler. To the Roman rulers, he tried to be loyal and grateful. He knew that without them, he could not be king. Power and glory had to be bought dearly from the Romans. He maintained his control through violence and deceit. He spilled the blood of his adversaries, who did not comply without scruples. At the very beginning, he had 45 leading Jews murdered, for which the synergism condemned him. Herod’s wife Miriam I got her 16-year-old brother appointed high priest.
Herod had him assassinated. He suspected adultery with Queen Miriam because the people liked him. He was very jealous of his wife, and therefore everyone on whom the shadow of suspicion fell died. His sister Salome railed against Miriam and falsely accused her of the man. Herod also had his innocent wife killed. Also, her mother or mother-in-law. He feared for the throne that his two sons, by his wife Mariana, Aristobulus and Alexander, would one day take it from him, so he had them hanged at Sebastian in 7 BC as soon as they returned from Rome. He also had three hundred officers secretly slain who allegedly plotted with his sons against him. Therefore, it is not surprising that the slaughter of the Bethlehem boys was also an act befitting Herod’s cruel nature. Herod’s old age was terrible. We know this from the writings of Josephus Flavius, who describes all this in his historical reports. Herod had internal pain, dropsy, worms in his rectum, oozing sores all over his body, possibly cancer. He instructed his sister Salome that when he died to have the Jewish potentates be slaughtered so that in this way, the Jews would be forced to mourn, at least ostensibly, his death. This murder, however, did not take place. He died in 749 from the foundation of Rome. Josephus Flavius called him “great,” but how great?

What to say at this time? God, by allowing such suffering upon the Jewish nation just before the coming of the Messiah, wanted to point out to the Israelites the spiritual and moral qualities of the Messiah, for He was coming as the Prince of Peace to redeem all nations from their sins and to save them, not by the sword and the blood of the innocent, but by love and His blood. Let us realize that in this way, Herod also indirectly contributed to the fulfillment of the Messianic “fullness of times” and its significant landmark in the history of the economy of the salvation of humanity. Today’s death of the innocent children in Bethlehem also cries out for life hereafter. Do not kill our brothers and sisters who were not born and did not have time to say the name Daddy, Mommy! Remember, brothers and sisters, that the death of an unborn child is always only murder! Herod was not as bloodthirsty as today’s hospitals. He was a soldier, a heathen, an ignoramus. Today, educated, believing, and civilized mothers beg, complain, bribe just so that the child does not interfere with their career; comfort does not take away their beauty.

The modern age is getting rid of personalities. It does not allow them to develop their talents because it kills them before setting them. The nation murders artists, scientists, scholars, and builders before they can put their hands to work. The government deprives itself of personalities and, in so doing, prepares a coffin for itself. The nation in the unborn is dying. Long live the country that triumphs over the idea of abortion!

Introduction.

The first Sunday after the feast of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus is dedicated to the Holy Family. This feast does not have a long history. Pope Benedict XV, in 1921, as if at the beginning of new times, which would be more marked by the crisis of the family, providentially appointed this feast. Today’s family needs not only a model but also help and protection. The Holy Family has not had it easy, either.

Homily.

The Evangelist St. Luke wrote of an incident “when he was twelve years old… the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem, which his parents did not perceive… After three days they found him in the temple.” (Luke 2:42, 43, 46).

The pilgrimage of the twelve-year-old Jesus to Jerusalem marks a turning point in his life and the life of his parents. Jesus loved his parents, but now he “had to” – at least for three days – stay in his Father’s house. He met with the teachers of the nation. The incident ends with the remark that when Mary and Joseph found him, “they returned to Nazareth, and he was obedient to them. And his mother kept all the words in her heart. Jesus grew in wisdom, in age, and in favor with God and man” (Lk. 2:51-52).

Family, family house, names of relatives… How many beautiful words make one feel warmth, love, peace. Family is a great good for a person. We came out of the family, and it is lovely when we have a place to return to. When a family is sick, we need to sound the alarm when something terrible appears in it. A crisis in the family is one of the most painful crises. Let us fear nothing so much as the breaking up of the family. The family must be defended on the principles of Christian morality. Not only to pray for families but to develop in families everything related to the mission of the father, mother, or child. The Holy Family, even today, is a model, a strength, and a hope for today’s families. Looking at the image of the Holy Family makes it possible to see, as if in a mirror, the rights and duties, roles and responsibilities of all the members of our families. The formation of the conscience of each member of the family is a duty and a commitment. The Christian family lives in God and invokes the name of God. Such a family is a home that is simply a school of faith and Christian values. It is to produce all that is necessary for natural and supernatural life. The faith pattern of the parents is the best school for the children on the way to God. Although the example and model of the mother are great for the children, the father must not forget that his example is irreplaceable by nothing and by no one. The young do what they see in their parents. When we ask them why they have faith, the answer is: we have received faith from our parents. Conversely, it is difficult for young people to find the way to God when their parents have not taught them this way.
The Holy Family helps to find the way to values both natural and supernatural. It supports all to orient themselves on life’s paths in a way that will benefit eternity. If children fall away from God, they cause pain to their parents. Today, it is no longer rare for a child from a good Christian family to choose a different path than the one they were led on at home. Even from Christian families, children are exposed to the plagues of our time, such as drugs, computer games, cults, and the difficulties of mixed marriages. They enter into marriages outside the church. God respects the reason and will of every person. God can do anything, but not against the cause and will of man. Despite prayers, tears, and other sacrifices, parents witness that their child is deaf, dumb to what they have raised him to do. Often this goes on for a long time. Parents mustn’t lose hope for a long time. The knees often prevail in this struggle. Let them remember that God will not forsake. Mary and Joseph searched for Jesus for three days, and yet Jesus was the Son of God. Mary and Joseph did not understand why Jesus was doing this. Nevertheless, they faithfully carried out their parents’ mission. Let this be an encouragement to those parents whose children have found a different way or philosophy of life.

In the same way, our families suffer from the separation of spouses. Infidelity and illicit marital life are promoted mainly by the mass media and presented as benign where there is a weaker spiritual life, the divorce rate increases. In the beginnings of life together, in the first crises, and when the spouses are in their twilight years.

In the same way, parents are pressed by material and housing difficulties, and contraception is related to this. Today’s world does not want to call abortion a sin. Even many Christian spouses do not regard illicit marital life as a sin.
Today, more than at any time in the past, it is true that it is not enough to lay the family’s foundation but to build it more and more carefully. The Gospel tells of two men who were making their houses. Only the one who was “wise” was the one who built on the rock. What he was careful about was the foundation. Who was in no hurry to finish the house quickly? He counted on the difficulties that might arise. And marriages today? We need to get married, instead of: we are already mature. Rather, parents, tell yourself that you will help your daughter raise her grandchild, but not advise her were to have him married. But also, young women and young men, remember that the word is quick to be said but hard to be carried out. The “I do” once said before God is valid “until your death and mine, and in no adversity” ceases when all the conditions for a reasonable and lawful celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony are fulfilled at the outset.

The feast of the Holy Family is a souvenir for each of us. For you, spouses, to reflect on the way of cohabitation. On today’s Solemnity, not only to pray for one another or to renew your marriage vows in silence after Holy Communion but also to do more, what your heart whispers, what your mind points to, what your love leads you to do.
To you who are preparing for marriage and getting to know the beautiful feeling of love, today’s feast day wants to appeal to you to reconsider your criteria, what you prioritize in your life. Would it not be possible to include prayer in our everyday conversations? Discuss the Christian view of sacramental marriage? Spend more time on the essentials of the Christian life? Study the criteria for how Christ teaches about marriage?

The feast also speaks to you, the elders in the marriage, and those whose spouse has already died. God loves you too. Your example is also a great gift to others. Do not forget what you have experienced together with Christ in marriage. Let us pray!
Children, when you look at your father, your mother, when you take anything in your hands, when they ask something of you, demand something of you, do not forget to pray for those who have given you life…

If we are to pay attention to the family, let us pay attention to it as a work that comes from God. God has elevated marriage to a sacrament. The sacrament of marriage is a gift. And today is the time and the place to adjust our relationship to such a precious gift. Let us pray to the Holy Family: to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, for ourselves, for our families, for the Church, and the whole world, that we may fulfill what God has placed in marriage and the family.

Merry Christmas to all.

To look the Truth in the face (Jn 1:1-18)
At the manger, there is no place or time to wear a mask, to smile like a clown, to say a word later… ¬

When St. Augustine pondered the mystery of the birth of the Lord Jesus, he asked himself the question: “Cur Deus homo?” – “Why did God become man?” And the answer? It is very profound. “Deus factum est homo, ut homo fieret Deus.” “God became man that man might become God.” John Paul II wrote in the encyclical Redemptor hominis – Redeemer of Man: “The Redeemer of the world is the one who has penetrated the mystery of the man in a unique and unrepeatable way and has entered into his heart.” (Art. 8)
Today, we too stand before the manger and gaze into the face of the Truth, Jesus Christ, who “denied himself, took the nature of a servant, became like men; and according to outward appearance was counted as a man.” (Phil. 2:7). At the manger of the Child Jesus, we realize that there is no time or place to deceive ourselves or to deceive others behind some mask, clown smile, word, or other gesture. Today at the manger is a time to look the Truth, the Christ, in the face.

John the Apostle tells us about the Child Jesus: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn l,14).

The melodies, which are incredibly alive and relevant today, were created by the profoundly faithful in their hearts and minds.
It would be an understatement to devote today only to singing carols, even though their melody and especially their words speak of the mystery of God’s love. It is not enough to hear the joy proclaimed by the angels on Holy Night and to experience it emotionally. It is not a poetic fantasy or a mythological fable, but an event in a specific historical period during the census of the people, the population of the Roman Empire, which Emperor Augustus himself ordered. It is about the Child born in the town of Bethlehem, as foretold long before by the prophet Micah. This is the Person for whom generations had waited, and the prophets had foretold.

This helpless Child, placed out of a need in a manger in a stable, is the Savior, Christ the Lord (cf. Lk 2:11). His birth is the glad tidings that pay the people.
At the turn of the millennium, we realize that He was born for us. He has also brought us reconciliation, peace, and a message of love. The Child’s birth opens up new perspectives for humanity and each individual. The Evangelist St. John points to the roots of our joy, to the fact that the eternal Word, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, took on the nature of man, that God became man without ceasing to be God. No religion has ever dared to approach God to man in this way. To lower the all-surpassing majesty of God to the level of a man, even a weak Child. Here is the heart of the mysterious life of God, the nature of Christianity. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believed in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Jn 3:16). God became man. This is the most profound meaning of Christmas. Luke describes Christ’s birth as a historical fact with far-reaching implications that apply to us. The prologue of today’s Gospel presents to us the incarnate Word, the Son of God, as a permanent state, as a mode of existence that is even now found in Christ. He is the God-man until the end of time.

Today we realize that the foretold Immanuel, God with us, is the Child Jesus. The Feast of the Nativity of the Lord is when we know that the Child Jesus wants to be our friend and brother. This produces joy in our souls. That is why the Nativity feast is also the most beautiful, even though we rightly recognize the feast of the Resurrection as the greatest. Today, however, we are also aware of other truths. “He was in the world, and the world knew Him not. He came into his own, and his own did not receive him” (Jn. 1:10-11). We can all say with the French convert André Frossardorn, “God exists; I have met him!” God, who knows everything about man, came into the world to teach us how to live perfectly human lives. He came to bring dignity to each one of us. God wants the good of man. God wants eternal happiness for every human being. The sin of the first man closed heaven. The God-man Jesus came to open heaven for us. All he wants from us is for us to accept him. “He has given us the power to become children of God.” (Jn. 1:12). In the Old Testament, God sent prophets, and He does not cease to send them to us today, especially through and by the Church. Thus the words are fulfilled upon us: “Out of his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.” (Jn 1:16). And this should not only reach us today but lead us to a change of life.

We know that our lives are often complex. It is wrong to put rose-colored glasses on our eyes, to expect only pleasant events, to meet only smiling people, but to be able to realize the words as well: “Whoever wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Lk 9:23). The cross and the manger of Christ cannot be separated. And that is why today it is fitting that we also recognize that “the true light, which enlightens every man, has come into the world.” (Jn 1:9). This light shines even when darkness wants to cover it, destroy pain, overwhelm sin, and remove death. We know that our lives are often complex. It is wrong to put on rose-colored glasses, to expect only pleasant events, to meet only smiling people, but to be able to realize the words as well: “Whoever wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Lk 9:23). The cross and the manger of Christ cannot be separated. And that is why today it is fitting that we also recognize that “the true light, which enlightens every man, has come into the world.” (Jn 1:9). This light shines even when darkness wants to cover it, destroy pain, overwhelm sin, and remove death.

Today is the time of grace when our hearts are humanly soft, when we are more filled with love, so that at the same time, we may enter more deeply into the peace of Christ. People tend to be ashamed of the evil they have done. They cannot often forgive offending one another. It is different from God. We should want to remove the shame and change our previous life. Today, the Child Jesus expects forgiveness from the heart if someone has something against us. And we also forgive for the wrong done. We realize that when we use the feast of the Nativity of the Lord in this way, it will not just be a matter of the joy of a few days or hours, but perhaps of eternal happiness.

When St. Augustine made the powerful statement, “God became man that man might become God,” it was a call for us to cherish our friendship with Jesus. When we have overcome many hardships, a journey to spend a few hours with our dear ones, let us make all the more effort to live together for all eternity.
In that spirit, I want to wish all of you on this feast that we may fulfill the expectation of God, the Child, and draw so much grace and strength from these days that we may partake of and share in the heavenly banquet in His Kingdom.

We are only a few hours away from sitting down at the Christmas Eve table to spend an entire evening together as a family for once. A time has approached that is not diminished in significance and not diminished in rank and joy by centuries or millennia. The remembrance of the coming of the Lord Jesus as a child-man among us is not only an emotional but also a rational affair. This day speaks of the love of God, who far surpasses all ingratitude, dislike, and sin by His passion. He fulfills His promises and accepts the sacrifice of His Son, who, like us but also equal to God, wants to reconcile God to us. On this morning, perhaps the longest day of the year, as we lay ourselves to rest until after Midnight Mass tomorrow, let us once again use this morning to invite God into our midst, into our families sincerely, and into our hearts. Let us prepare our hearts for Jesus so that the words spoken by Zechariah in his hymn of praise in this morning’s Gospel may be fulfilled, “…that our God, out of the depth of his mercy, will forgive him his sins.” (Lk 1:78). The birth of Jesus Christ marks the beginning of a new epoch, a new age, and a new relationship between man and God. For us today, it is an opportunity to become more aware of our relationship with Jesus as our Redeemer and Saviour.
Advent is coming to an end, a season which, imbued with a longing for the Messiah, brings us to the manger with its liturgy. God lowers himself to exalt man. We should use this time to purify our souls and prepare ourselves to meet our God in the stable, placed in the manger.
– Humility triumphs over pride – Love over sin – Sacrifice over ingratitude –
We need to remember this again if we are to truly benefit from the Feast of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. It must not sink to the level of being a holiday of romance, Christmas idyll, tradition, and custom. For us, it is a great hope that the life connected with Jesus is a value that will one day be rewarded by this Child who will one day become the Judge of the living and the dead. God is coming with all power and glory. He carries the reward of the overcomer with Him. On this night, there should be a union of God with us, us with God, and people with each other. This night before us wants to bring its blessing to other things in our lives. Let us prepare ourselves and accept this gift. Jesus was not born for himself but us. Jesus did not need us, but we need Jesus. Therefore, let us not beg, but let us accept God in human flesh as our greatest treasure, the true victory of love over sin.
Before a peak performance, athletes concentrate on giving the maximum of themselves. We stand at the end of Advent, preparing for an excellent performance. Let us live it with the joyful heart of a child and the reason of a man, for we are all equal before God. We are children of God, brothers, and sisters of Jesus Christ. Let us make no secret of our joy at the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. Let us rejoice that salvation has come into the world in the form of a bit of child Jesus. Let us lay aside sorrow, fear, and hopelessness. In their place at the stroke of twelve, all are ready to receive Jesus.

Proverbs tells us: “To whom honor is due, to the shepherd the trumpet.” It is worth reflecting today on the respect we extend to ourselves. Alternatively, why do we devalue our name? We want to be respected and honored by those around us, yet our particular attitude to ourselves is often despicable.

We can reflect on this theme even before the feasts of peace and joy when we also commemorate the birth of John the Baptist. The Evangelist Luke says: “On the eighth day they came to circumcise the boy and wanted to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said: “No, he shall be called John” (Luke 1:59-60). And after another amazing course, when even Zacharias spoke, the people say to themselves: “Just what will this boy be?” (Lk 1:66). The birth of a child, especially a firstborn and one so eagerly awaited, causes great joy in the family and the neighborhood.

The birth of John the Baptist is incredibly joyful because everyone feels that he is a child blessed by God and who certainly has a great mission before God. Zacharias also speaks of this under the influence of the Holy Spirit in a beautiful hymn. He thanks God for the work of redemption that has been begun, and in his son, he foresees the task that awaits him as the forerunner of the Messiah. These events spread throughout the mountains of Judah, and when the people heard them, they felt both joy and awe at the same time. The people watched this miraculous child closely. They saw nothing sinful about him. John went as a young man into the wilderness, the spirit of the greatest prophet maturing in him. These events took place in the town of the priestly class whose task was to lead the nation to the promised Messiah. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth had reverence for the name of God. This was the way God Himself wanted it, and this was the way the Law of Moses commanded it. God also had reverence for Zechariah and Elizabeth. For it was they whom He chose to bring into the world the herald, the forerunner of His Son.

John, guided by his parents, through whom the still hidden Holy Spirit spoke, accepts the beginnings of his mission and later in the wilderness proves his devotion to God in word and deed. He is humble: “I am not worthy to untie his shoe strap.” (Lk 3:16). He does not take pride and glory. John tells us by his life of great reverence for God. At the same time, we feel that he is also an example to us in reverence for his name: “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness…” (Jn 1:23).

These facts are to find an echo in our lives. We are to realize that God wants us to respect Him and to feel responsible for our name as well. This means we should not lower ourselves and lend our name to sin. For example, as we read, the Lord has a plan for our terms in Philippians that our names are written in the book of life (cf. Phil. 4:3). It is touching when we watch sporting events, and our athletes make a good name for the nation and country, what joy parents feel when their children make a good name for them – the parents. How proud we are of the good name of our parents. But that is not enough.

We must strive for a good name with God, too. There is a reward behind a good reputation, and behind a spoiled one, there is a punishment. A good name is a good life lived honestly, and conversely, behind a bad name is a sinful life lived sinfully. This takes time, and God has appointed it for us. Therefore, let us use our abilities, talents, and talents to glorify God, who will reward us when we live our lives according to His commands.

Let us not be afraid when the world takes away our good name. Let us rejoice when our terms are written in the Book of Life. The world dulls the name of Christ also, and yet we know that the name of Christ has prevailed and is prevailing. Let us rejoice that if we endure to the end, we too shall overcome.