WHAT CHILD IS THIS?

 

 

WHAT CHIlD IS THIS?

 

“What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. – Luke 1:66

 

Last year, my caring group, composed of Kerygma preachers and their wives, gave me a baby shower a few weeks before our first baby was born. Aside from the outpouring of love and practical gifts, our daughter, Charlize Gabrielle, was the recipient of many spiritual blessings that each of them pronounced upon her.

Health, happiness and holiness. Love and divine protection. A smile that reflects God’s face. The joy and delight of the Lord. Long, straight hair. (OK, that wasn’t too spiritual but it does come in handy, especially since I spend a small fortune on relaxing my hair.) I went home that night thankful for the blessings they had pronounced and believing that my child would indeed grow in the virtues they had bestowed upon her. I can’t wait to see how Charlize will live out her calling and be a blessing to the world.

As Christmas draws near, we are confronted with the coming of the Christ Child. What He will be we already know. The question is, are we allowing Him to be all that He is in our lives?

This season, let’s strive to know this Child in a deeper way. Rissa Singson-Kawpeng

 

REFLECTION:

As you celebrate Jesus’ birth this Christmas, what does His coming mean to you at this time in your life?

 

Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Holy One, manifest Yourself to me in a personal way this Christmas season.

 

 

 

being puRified

 

There is at least one thing which I am absolutely sure of — we are all sinners. This leads to the knowledge that we will all need to be purified of our sins and their effects in our souls before we can enter into eternal life. It is this piece of knowledge that lends itself to the development of the doctrine of Purgatory — that state in which we are purified of all our sins and their effects before we enter heaven.

It is all very well for us to think that we can wait for Purgatory to be purified but isn’t that taking a bit too much of a risk? Why carry with us all that unnecessary sin and baggage when we do not have to? Christian tradition tells us of a way to reduce our so-called baggage due to sin by living lives of repentance and penance. We can begin to deal with sin and its effects now and the good news here is that it lessens the hold of sin over our lives.

The Church’s tradition calls upon all Christians to do penance not just for the remission of their sins but also in intercession for various causes. For example, we might offer up our penance for the evangelization of China or some other noble cause. What matters is that in developing a life of repentance and penance, we have begun the process of purifying our lives so that we will be fit for heaven. This has to be a good thing as it means that we will be growing closer to God and deeper in holiness every day.

Malachi speaks of a time of purification so that we will be made worthy to live godly lives. We Christians understand this as one of the works of the Holy Spirit. It is important for us to embrace this aspect of the Spirit’s role in our lives so that we become more effective as ministers of the Gospel. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

Reflection Question:

What are the sins in my life that I need to get rid of? How can I enter into a life of penance so that I will be purified of these sins?

 

Holy Spirit, reveal to me the sins of my life and set me on the right path of purification so that they will be banished from my life forever.

 

St. John of Kanty, Priest, pray for us.