In Advent(cycle 3),last 4 sundays we were clearly informed
(1)importance of reflecting(forgetting earth bound cravings),as how God planned to reintroduce Freedom to human. allocate15min/day along with rosary. MAKE A HABIT
(2)study,how Christ came thru'Mary & role played by Joseph. SPPECIAL CHARACTER OF MARY & JOSEPH
(3)study Church formation by Holy spirit. why church rules are necessary,to accommodate paradigm change. How to be a member of church? Why catholics receive Baptism immediately after birth? THRU' BAPTISM YOU BECOME A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH
(4)main slogan of God-Love how it operates?basic characteristics of love-ONCE YOU RECEIVE CHRIST,YOU EXTEND THAT JOY WITH MANY OTHERS Ex: mary once Christ in her womb,visit elizabeth-share the joy. When you are avail of all information & practice the same,2nd coming of Christ is already with you & ready to receive birth of Christ.
On christmas day, we observe the physical birth of Christ. Baby Jesus showed us many things:
(1) God did not create baby Adam and baby Eve, but we see baby Jesus. This is to indicate, CHILDHOOD, is the result of original sin
(2) Naming Jesus and carrying all rituals with regard to HIM, was carried,out by Joseph and Mary. Indicating, full responsibility of parents to maintain children (3)Gospels does not give much details about Jesus Child hood except His lost at age of 12!.
Jesus birth and lack of information available about HIS child hood direct us to understand:
(A)when Jesus was conceived by Mary, She express her Joy with Elizabeth.(Last sunday we reflected). WHEN YOU RECEIVE CHRIST,YOU ALWAYS SHARE THAT JOY(LOVE) WITH OTHER. Love-with charity for the love of God
(B) WHEN CHILD JESUS LOST AT THE AGE 12,CLEAR MESSAGE IS GIVEN TO US. This is reflected today. That is in summary: you tend to bend commandments given by God(10 commandments+love+pardoning+
B. Preamble to today's readings:
B.1 Good things
bad things do happen to good people. For many life is a struggle that seems unfair. But when we analyze into details, we cannot judge things as been good or bad because we do not have access to all the information.
Joseph and Mary are good examples, how they lead the life, trusting only God. Take example, when Mary accepted to bear Jesus, she might not have expected to have the baby Jesus in cattle shop. Mary,did not reveal, about virginal birth of Jesus, even to Joseph, she trusted the God's word to keep secret, what ever the out come she faced. Josep escaped to Egypt with Mary, and Baby Jesus, without any complaint,trusting the God's will. It s similar to a situation, where they were waiting in a room, where the outside is burning with fire, inside room is smoky, you don't see what to do! But they took action, jumping out from the smoky room, trusting God will provide solution and we know how they achieved. All these actions are good examples, how we should lead our life, trusting the God's providence. These factors we reflected, in advent.
God said for us to be child, to follow His Will!
B.2 Characteristics of child
Also, we reflected, what are the responsibility of parents, with, regard to children. Childhood has been introduced by God, with adult Adam+adult Eve, has to maintain children,until they become adult to follow God's will by themselves. Every body appreciate children, but at the same time we say, it is Childish work!. So child hood reminds us 2 things,(1)childishness(2) child likeness.
when you follow God's will, some occasions, you find discouraged, due to various problems and You will see, God is lost.
today you are reminded to revisit about following His commandments,as to see whether you are correctly following. Joseph and Mary,ideally set an example,how to follow God's will, without following easy path.
B.3 How good God is?
There are 2 ways of knowing how good God is!. One is never to lose Him otherwise is loose him with Sin and receive HIM again.
For the 1 st one: how can You expect any so called bad things happen to you?
Even under such case, you cannot judge whether it is good or Bad! Why?
We cannot judge things as being good or bad because we do not have access to all the information. Read the following story, which try to explain, that we cannot judge the things as it is!
One day a man brought a stallion,and all of his friends said"that's good". The next day the stallion ran away,and all his friends said"that is bad". 2 weeks later the stallion returned with a herd of mares. His friends said"that is good" the next day his son broke his shoulder when the stallion threw him off. The friend said" that's bad". The next month war broke out. Because the boy was injured, he could not go to war. The friend's said that is good. The story could go on and on with people judging events as being bad or good when actually all events are connected and have an impact on each other. Trying to sort good from bad and putting labels on events that are constantly changing their shape can make a leader crazy.
Do you see God as your only source, and love in control of your life plan?
In order to do that, we should clearly understand, what is the Characteristics of child hood!
B.4 Child Hood.
God didn't create,baby Adam/Eve? Then Why HE send Baby Jesus?After original sin,God introduced fear/sorrow/death&Childhood for human(Since they were childish to break law)& gave full responsibility to parents to guide them,during childhood. Newly born,has to be name,provide food,baptize becomes their immediate responsibility. God(father)prepared humans to re introduce,freedom,by10 comms: with EYE TO EYE,showing eternal reasons,how to guide children,before adulthood.Soon after Jesus birth holy family did all rituals to HIM,like a normal Jewish child.Gospel says"anybody mislead child,is fit to be thrown to sea,with a stone tying his neck"Why Jesus stayed 30 yrs for public life, showing,eternal reason,of responsibility of parents,in guiding them to practise God's Will Hence Child/adult hoods are 2 different phases of human life.Parents set ex:to children"HOW TO FOLLOW GOD'S WILL"when he become adult.
B.5 Childish and Child like ness.
Christianity began with worship of Bebe & only by continued recognition of child likeness,will adult human be recognised as children of God. But child likeness is not childishness(Related to typical of child- behaving in a silly way,that makes U seem much younger than U really are) TO BE CHILDISH IS TO RETAIN IN MATURITY WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCARDED AT THRESHOLD OF MANHOOD.CHILD LIKENESS,ON CONTRARY,IMPLIES WITH MENTAL BREATH & PRACTICAL STRENGTH& WISDOM OF MATURITY THERE IS ASSOCIATED HUMILITY,TRUSTFULNESS, SPONTANEITY & OBIDEANCE OF CHILD.
Adam and Eve was childish to betray God, while Jesus and Mary, act as child likeness to follow God's Will.
Holy Family(Mary+Joseph) has set ideal example for us to understand, how to be a child in following God's Will!
B.6 Holy Family
Mary&Joseph(under vow of virginity) marriege is attachment of hearts-right to another was surrendered to please God. Their marriege was due to
(1)keep honor to Family,until her reveal of VIRGIN BIRTH/she told after resurrection(final proof of divinity).If She became mother without a spouse,Christ birth will ridicule
(2)Mary never told Joseph,about her conceiving by Spirit,(angel did not bid her to do so).Mary revealed;" outside Golgotha,I never suffered such intense of agony as in those days when,despite myself,I brought worry to Joseph, who was so just"Similarly sorrow of Joseph enormous
(A)he knew both have taken an vow of virginity
(B) It seem impossible to believe her guilty, because her goodness. But,because her condition,how could he believe otherwise?Joseph suffered"Dark night of Soul"NO HUMAN KNOWLEDGE OF SCIENCE CAN EXPLAIN SUCH A THING. Mary&Joseph,showed how to be Virgin,Mother,Father.
C. Today's reading:
Book of Samuel says(1Sm 1:20-22.24-28)"..Hannah..gave.
St John(1 Jn 3:1-2.21-24) says"think..father..lavish..
Lk(2:41-52) says"..parents of Jesus..jerusalem..HE..12 yrs..after feast..Boy Jesus..stayed..without His parents..went back..3 days later..found..his mother said"..why have U done this to us"..I must..busy..father's affairs.."They didnot understand what He meant.."
C. Reminds: there are many occasions in your life, you might think you are lost. Though you follow God's commandments+His Will.
Sudden illness+or sudden loss of your loved one+sudden accidents are few to mention. Here God clearly, shows us, how much mary and Joseph, suffered, due to loss of Jesus for 3 days.
It is so easy to lose christ. HE can even be lost by little heedlessness: a little want of watchfulness, and the divine presence easily slips away. But sometimes a reconciliation is sweeter than an unbroken friendship. There are 2 ways of knowing how good God is!. One is never to lose Him. And other is to lose Him and find Him again. Sin is the loss of Jesus, and since Mary felt the sting of His absence she could understand the gnawing heart of every sinner and be to it, in the truest sense of the word"Refuge of sinners".
D. Conclusions:
So christmas season, just after the christ physical birth, you are invited by Holy Family to identify your self, whether, you follow commandments properly, like them, to understand and follow the God's will for you!
Otherwise, you are lost,(when you follow easy life,relaxing commandments for your own convenience)
GBU
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