THE LAST WORDS

“…lest I come and strike the land with doom.” –Malachi 3:24

Mass Readings: December 23
First: Malachi 3:1-4,23-24;Resp: Psalm 25:4-5,8-10,14;
Gospel: Luke 1:57-66
Listen to the Mass Readings

In the last words of the Old Testament, the Lord warns us that unless fathers turn their hearts to their children and vice versa, He will “come and strike the land with doom.” The last words of the New Testament and of the Bible are: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen!” (Rv 22:21) Life is either doomed or graced. Life before we live for Christ is doomed, and life in Christ is graced. Jesus is the only One Who can and has saved us from doom (see Acts 4:12).

Because Jesus is God and has saved us from doom, we measure the years from the time of His birth, and we celebrate the birth of Jesus each Christmas with great festivities throughout the world. Millions of people will send greetings, give gifts, and decorate the world in the coming days of the Christmas season because of Who Jesus is and what He has done for us.

Get into the true Christmas Spirit. Accept Jesus as your Savior, Lord, and God. He gave His life for you. Give your life to Him as your Christmas present to Him on His birthday. Be saved from doom. Be saved by grace (Eph 2:8). Thank You Jesus, our Savior!

PRAYER: Father, thank You for loving us so much that You sent Jesus so that whoever believes in Him would not be doomed but have everlasting life (see Jn 3:16).
PROMISE: “At that moment his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.” —Lk 1:64
PRAISE: “O Emmanuel, King and Lawgiver, Desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.”