Today we read of the angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that when will bear a son. Mary with the free will that God has granted all of us declares she will do the will of the Lord. This is not an easy decision for Mary to make. By accepting this child, Mary's life will be forever changed. She will open herself up to shame, ridicule, divorce, ostracism and the possibility of death.
The birth of Christ is a beautiful and wonderful event in the history of mankind. It can also be a life full of many dangers. These dangers are not just for Mary and Joseph but for Jesus himself. Our faith is that Jesus was fully divine but also fully human. Jesus as fully human was exposed to all the frailties that come with being human. He felt the cold of the night and the heat of the day. He experienced the pain that comes from cuts and bruises. There were probably days of hunger and of sadness. Jesus would also experience all the good things that come with being human. Jesus would have felt the warm and comfort of a parent's hug. He would have tasted the food made with care and love that only a mother can make. He would have felt the pride of Joseph as he learned his earthly father's trade. Jesus would understand how a beautiful sunrise or a full moon moves us to ponder our existence. He would experience friendships both created and lost. Jesus experienced all that you and I will experience in our lifetime.
There are only a few days left in this Advent season. These past few weeks have given us the opportunity to review our own life. We have removed the things that cause us to sin and added those things which bring us closer to God. Let us also begin to look forward to Christmas, when our Lord becomes flesh. For it is only through the sacrifice of his flesh and blood that we find salvation in our Lord. A Lord that completely and fully understands what it is to be human.
The birth of Christ is a beautiful and wonderful event in the history of mankind. It can also be a life full of many dangers. These dangers are not just for Mary and Joseph but for Jesus himself. Our faith is that Jesus was fully divine but also fully human. Jesus as fully human was exposed to all the frailties that come with being human. He felt the cold of the night and the heat of the day. He experienced the pain that comes from cuts and bruises. There were probably days of hunger and of sadness. Jesus would also experience all the good things that come with being human. Jesus would have felt the warm and comfort of a parent's hug. He would have tasted the food made with care and love that only a mother can make. He would have felt the pride of Joseph as he learned his earthly father's trade. Jesus would understand how a beautiful sunrise or a full moon moves us to ponder our existence. He would experience friendships both created and lost. Jesus experienced all that you and I will experience in our lifetime.
There are only a few days left in this Advent season. These past few weeks have given us the opportunity to review our own life. We have removed the things that cause us to sin and added those things which bring us closer to God. Let us also begin to look forward to Christmas, when our Lord becomes flesh. For it is only through the sacrifice of his flesh and blood that we find salvation in our Lord. A Lord that completely and fully understands what it is to be human.
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