HE CAME TO HIS OWN
(John 1:1-18)
Our Lord Jesus Christ is born to
us. Our king has come. Unto us a child is given. His reign will be for ever and
ever.
We are celebrating a great
mystery. The mystery of incarnation. The mystery of taking flesh. The mystery
in which the divine is revealed in the midst of humans. We are celebrating the
mystery of coming down, of taking up and of giving. God in Christ comes down to
dwell with man. He comes down to live among men. He comes down to mix up
divinity with humanity. He comes down to observe what is going on among his
creatures. He comes to redeem what belongs to Him which is at the mercy of
destruction.
Jesus comes down to deify us, to
make us be like God, to give us what the devil deceptively promised Adam and
Eve, to restore us to our initial innocence and holiness. Little wonder He came
as a child. He comes once again to make us children of God. He comes to take
away the fear we plunged ourselves into when we listened to the enemy and
became enemies of God. He comes to make us friends of God once again.
He reinstates us with His coming.
He gives us back our dignity. He shows us the best way to God; the child-like
way, the simple way, the humble way, the peaceful loving way.
WE ARE HIS OWN
He came to his own says John in
the Gospel of today. We are His. We belong to Him. We are His people, the sheep
of His flock. Do we really know that we are God's? Have we in anyway snatched
ourselves out from God and handed it to the devil? Have we stopped living for
the Word that was in the beginning to start to live like those of the world?
He comes to reclaim us. He comes
to recreate the world. He comes to possess his possession. He knows us as His.
We are precious in His sight. So, he took a vacation from the heavenly mansions
to be with His people to enjoy with them, feel with them, weep with them and
celebrate with them.
You're His. We are his own. But
whose own have you chosen to be? Have you disowned your owner? God forbid!
HIS OWN DID NOT RECOGNISE HIM
It is very sad and embarrassing
when you go out to warmly greet and hug someone you know too well, and the
person coldly asks you: who are you? Have we met? I don't remember knowing you?
That's the tragedy of the
incarnation. Do we live as those who recognize what God did for us in sending
Jesus to save us? Do we really recognise God hidden in our form of man? Do we
really recognize Christ hiding in our fellow humans in need of our love and
care? Do we recognize Christ hiding behind the holy Eucharist?
IF ONLY WE RECOGNIZED HIM
If we recognize Christ, we will
make way for Him to dwell in us. If we recognize Christ, we will be more
humble. If we recognize Christ, we will stop celebrating Christmas in sin. If
we recognize Christ, we will allow His word to really take flesh in us and
dwell among us. If we recognise Christ, the world will be a better place
because we will not allow His efforts at saving us to be in vain. If we
recognize Christ, we will not stop adoring Him. If we recognize Christ, we will
see Him as the King of kings and Lord of Lord's. We will present ourselves and
our gifts to Him. We will open our hands to take the holiness he offers and
hand over to Him our sins which He comes to carry.
We will understand so well that
He comes as a child so as to make us children of God. Yes we will receive the
power of becoming His loving children.
What's blocking your view from
seeing and recognizing Christ? Your lack of faith? Your love for money? The
company you keep? Your weakness to pray? Your pride and stubbornness? Check well and know if you live your life as
someone who has recognized Jesus who has come, who comes and who continues to
come to us.
LET US PRAY
You're welcome Oh Great God who
became a babe for us. We thank You for coming so close to us for us to
recognize you. Open our eyes to see your glory even in your simplicity. May we
not take the opportunities You give us to recognize You for granted. May we be your
true children and receive the various privileges and graces you continue to
shower upon us now and to eternity. Amen.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS DEAREST IN THE
LORD
Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh
#Christmas
#Nativity
image from: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/doId13vcyxM/maxresdefault.jpg
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