Behold The Child!

Behold this child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel-Simeon (Luke 2:34).

1 John 2:3-11
Luke 2:22-35

In today’s first reading from the first letter of St. John, we see the message of walking in the way of Christ through the commandments. The two commandments that Christ gave to his Apostles and us; To love God with all our heart, soul and mind and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The message goes on to speak about what it means to walk in the light and what it means to walk in the darkness. In today’s gospel, Simeon, a man waiting in the Temple for the Messiah is blessed by God to be able to see the true Light before he died. He spent his life waiting patiently for that moment. Christmas is a reminder for us that the Light has come into the world and that we can choose to walk in the Light or to choose the path of darkness.

Simeon’s prophecy that the heart of Mary”s soul will be pierced through and her heart will be turned open when watching her only son suffer and die, which means that we too can immerse ourselves as vulnerable as we are through the immaculate heart of Mary to the pierced heart of Jesus as he says on the cross behold your mother and mother behold your son so that we too can be joined to what Christ has accomplished on the cross. Intimate, personal, and living communion with Father. In this suffering and death, Christ’s humanity became the free and perfect instrument of the Father’s love which desires our salvation and Mary is a faithful witness to the fact that even in the darkest hour of her life, God’s love knows no bound.Even in the hardships of daily life, God’s love knows no end. Even in suffering and death, God’s love holds nothing back.

Let us make ourselves faithful to God by allowing his voice to change our lives and allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts and minds. Remember, Jesus Christ is Lord. The Light of the World has come, Emmanuel.
May the coming New Year bring you peace, comfort, and joy!

Fr Joseph Osho