WORD 2day: 24th December, 2014

Fourth Wednesday of Advent
2 Sam 7: 1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Lk 1: 67-79

Celebrating the Promises

Christmas is a celebration of the promises, remind the readings today. On the day immediately before Christmas, this message comes as a call to understand what Christmas is really: it is to remember that the goodness of the Lord never ceases. God's love is everlasting. It is unconditional and counts no cost. That is the message of Christmas; that God gave God's only Son that we may all be given the power to be God's children (Jn 3:16; Jn 1:14).

Christmas shines as a proof of the fact that God has still not given up on you and me! As Pope Francis often says, God is never discouraged with you. It is important that we don't give up on ourselves. We are loved and that fact will pull us up from any level of existence. 

The Rising dawn, is the imagery for today! The dawn... the sign of hope... the light of day... the warmth of God's love invites us to live our life to the full. The Lord is near, it is time to Arise and Shine (Is 60:1).

WORD 2day: 23rd December, 2014

Fourth Tuesday of Advent

Mal 3: 1-4, 23-24 ; Lk 1:57-66

With the hand of the Lord...

What would this child be? What would I grow up to be? What would be my destiny? We are reminded of that famous song: Que Sera, Sera! When a child is born a bundle of mystery is born. We would do well to receive it with that reverence and wait on it to unfold itself in its own time! But at times that seems very puzzling, or even frightening as if we are at the mercies of something or someone else - as the song we referred to says. Christian hope is not exactly that!

Our sense of mystery does not come from the mere fact that the prospects are hidden, but from the truth that it lies in the hands of God, who has willed us into existence, with a specific plan for each of us. John the Baptist was foretold as the Elijah to come and prepare the way; the son born of a young maiden was foretold to come and rule the world for ever; each of our birth too has been forethought by God from all eternity. 

The hand of the Lord accompanies us, as it did with John and with all other persons of God we come across. It would be our task to recognise this Hand in everything, accept its pointings and walk with love in justice and truth! The Coming of the Lord is at hand!