by Mary Ann Zimmerman
These four weeks have gone by so quickly. This fourth week of Advent celebrates Love. During the Christmas season, there seems to be for some a time of joy and excitement. Where does that feeling come from? If we have Jesus in our hearts, it’s his love creating an excitement for his coming. Are we ready? Yes, we celebrate Christmas (Christ’s Mass) in remembrance of his birth. Think about what happened over 2,000 years ago.
A young girl name Mary, a teen actually, never had a boyfriend is called by God through the Angel Gabriel to be the mother of the Savior through the Holy Spirit. Can you imagine what was going through her mind? She was scared but responded, “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let be done to me according to your word.” Mary, in her humility, trusted the word of God. Elizabeth, her cousin, is pregnant in her old age. Mary immediately travels to visit her. As I recall, it was about a hundred miles away. I think it was a three-day journey. Elizabeth greets Mary with the statement, “How is it that the mother of my Lord has come to me?” The Holy Spirit is at work in Elizabeth and the child within Elizabeth leaps at Mary’s present. He, too, recognizes the presence of the Lord.
What about us? Do we humble ourselves before the Lord? Are we ready to receive Jesus in our hearts totally and completely trusting him? Jesus came as an infant to totally experience humanity. Folks that LOVE! Jesus came to create in us new hearts of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. Has our world embraced that message? If we call ourselves Christian, we must live this message every day sharing it with all we come in contact. The non-believers have shaped our country removing God from our schools, work-place and society as a whole. It’s time we put Christ back in Christmas, back in this country!
May Jesus our Savior fill you and your family with Hope, Peace, Joy and Love this Christmas and throughout the New Year.
Pray Hope and Don’t Worry. Padré Pio