Tagged: Bible Study

ROYAL FLUSH

Herod “ordered the massacre of all the boys two years old and under in Bethlehem.” –Matthew 2:16 Mass Readings: December 28 First: 1 John 1:5–2:2; Resp: Psalm 124:2-5,7-8;Gospel: Matthew 2:13-18 Herod understood part of the meaning of Christmas. He understood that Jesus’ life and birth were an immediate and a long-term threat to his kingship. Herod understood and believed what Mary prophesied in relation to Jesus’ birth. In her “Magnificat,” she proclaimed: The Lord “has deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places. The hungry He has given every good thing, while the rich He...

RUNNING FROM LOVE?

“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” –Acts 7:59 On this second day of Christmas, we have ample proof that Christmas has become too commercialized. Many of us have received all kinds of stuff as presents. We may also feel stuffed from over-indulging in food, drink, TV, shopping, working, etc. We may be smothered in debt. Why do so many feel compelled to go so far overboard at Christmas? There are many answers to this question, but one answer may be that we absorb ourselves with material things at Christmas because we’re afraid of finding the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas means...

THE LOVE BEYOND ALL TELLING

“This fellowship of ours is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.” –1 John 1:3 The birth of Jesus made it possible for people to see, hear, touch, and hold Jesus (see 1 Jn 1:1ff). It made it possible to have a personal relationship with Him. Jesus’ Ascension, the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and the birth of the Church made it possible for all people to have a much more personal, deep, and intimate relationship with Jesus (see Catechism, 788). Astoundingly, we can even live inside Jesus while He lives inside us (see Jn 14:20;...

CONSTRICTED BY LOVE

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” –John 1:14 On this great celebration of Christmas, we recall Jesus being constricted for love of us: Jesus, Son of God and Eternal Word of God, Whom the universe cannot contain (2 Chr 6:18), is constricted in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Jesus, through Whom all things came into being (Jn 1:3), accepts the constraints and limitations of a human body. After birth, Jesus was “wrapped in swaddling clothes” (Lk 2:12). These clothes encircled His body, constricting Him. The Baby Jesus was hunted down by the government. His...

“FREE AT LAST”

“You shall go before the Lord to prepare straight paths for Him, giving His people a knowledge of salvation in freedom from their sins.” –Luke 1:76-77 On this Christmas Eve day and last day of Advent, we sing, for the last time until next Advent, “O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.” We are mourning in lonely exile. We cry out and sing out for God to visit and ransom His people this Christmas season (Lk 1:68). We must be “rid of fear and delivered from the enemy” (Lk 1:74). We need Emmanuel, the Messiah, Jesus. Only Jesus,...