Happy Birthday Jesus!

When I was growing up, every time December arrived I looked forward to Christmas with so much anticipation. The Belen, Nativity scene in our parish church would be out on the first day of Misa de Gallo, Dawn Mass starting on the 16th of December. This nine-day novena Mass signals Christmas really is just around the corner. But there is someone missing in the Nativity scene because the Baby Jesus is not yet there. In the vigil Mass, a family is given the honor of bringing the image of the Baby Jesus and placing it into the crib of the Belen, the Nativity scene. I remember our church exploding with light and decorations (lantern stars parol, Christmas lights and trees) when the empty crib finally received the Baby Jesus.

Last November 24, 2014, Pope Francis issued an Apostolic Exhortation entitled Evangelii Gaudium The Joy of the Gospel exhorting the whole church to rediscover the many joys found in the Gospel. As we approach the Christmas season after the 4th Sunday of Advent, let us review this Apostolic Exhortation and see the wonderful things it can bring us this season.

How do we share the Joy of the Gospel? The way the Gospel talks about the Kingdom of God at first seems odd; small seed (mustard seed) or like yeast (Mt. 13:31,33) both of which starts small. Meaning, the Kingdom of God starts in humble beginnings, like the coming of the Baby Jesus, the Emmanuel in a simple manger. But when properly nourished or mixed can grow to be the biggest of all trees or dough for bread. In Jesus, the Kingdom of God is the humble presence in the life of the people, a dialogue of life, between God and His people.

Dec 8, 2015, the church begins a yearlong celebration of the ExtraordinaryJubilee of Mercy, announced by Pope Francis during a Lenten penance service lastMarch. United in heart and spirit with our Holy Father, let us enter this Holy yearfull of confidence in the inexhaustible mercy of the Father.

“The word of God was spoken to John son of Zechariah.” (Lk. 3:2) Meaning John was chosen, God called him from the wilderness. John did not belong to the class of higher learning; he was not a scholar, a teacher or a rabbi; he was a simple man who lived in the desert, committed to God in prayer. He prepared for this call by organizing his life in silence with God. He needed that silence to open his heart to God and to free it from all worldly influences. In the modern context, we all need our desert, maybe a place (room, chapel, church or a garden), a space or a moment with God to silence our hearts and just listen to God, so His WORDS will be spoken to us like John.