Beloved in Christ,
The divine gift of the Baby Jesus continues to draw the attention of all and now constitutes a universal appeal. The baby born in Bethlehem invites the attention of the Magi from the East, an indication of the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Today, we remember the revelation of the Light to all people. Prophet Isaiah says in the First reading, "Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance" (Is 60:3). When Matthew writes, "We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage (Mat 2:2), he indicates the fulfillment of the prophecy about the expected king of the Jews whose influence will extend to the far ends of the world.
The gift of the baby God gave us on Christmas day, the baby who took our humanity to restore it, is the subject of the magi's adoration. The three magi from the East, guided by the Light, come bearing their riches to worship the newborn king: "They opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Mt 2: 11).
The feast we celebrate today is the gift of our acceptance into God's family, which is no longer limited to the Jews but is now accessible to all nations. This gift of light, in the words of St. Paul, is the mystery not made known to people in other generations; it is the good news "that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (Eph 3:6).
We, too, like the magi, guided by the bright morning star and the light of the world, must bring to fulfillment the prophecy contained in our responsorial mass regarding the Lord, "every nation on earth will adore you" (Ps 72: 11). As the magi adored the baby Saviour in the manger, as "They prostrated themselves and did him homage" (Mt 2:11), so must we offer him our lives in worship. Let us renew our baptismal vow in this new year to serve Him more intensely, placing all our gifts- prayers and talents on the altar of the Sacrifice of mass. We must freely and joyfully surrender to Him all our lives in praise and thanksgiving. No lesser gift than the gift of our lives is sufficient for the newborn king, the Light of life.
Merry Christmas!
Fr. Bernard Alayode, OP
The divine gift of the Baby Jesus continues to draw the attention of all and now constitutes a universal appeal. The baby born in Bethlehem invites the attention of the Magi from the East, an indication of the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Today, we remember the revelation of the Light to all people. Prophet Isaiah says in the First reading, "Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance" (Is 60:3). When Matthew writes, "We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage (Mat 2:2), he indicates the fulfillment of the prophecy about the expected king of the Jews whose influence will extend to the far ends of the world.
The gift of the baby God gave us on Christmas day, the baby who took our humanity to restore it, is the subject of the magi's adoration. The three magi from the East, guided by the Light, come bearing their riches to worship the newborn king: "They opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (Mt 2: 11).
The feast we celebrate today is the gift of our acceptance into God's family, which is no longer limited to the Jews but is now accessible to all nations. This gift of light, in the words of St. Paul, is the mystery not made known to people in other generations; it is the good news "that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (Eph 3:6).
We, too, like the magi, guided by the bright morning star and the light of the world, must bring to fulfillment the prophecy contained in our responsorial mass regarding the Lord, "every nation on earth will adore you" (Ps 72: 11). As the magi adored the baby Saviour in the manger, as "They prostrated themselves and did him homage" (Mt 2:11), so must we offer him our lives in worship. Let us renew our baptismal vow in this new year to serve Him more intensely, placing all our gifts- prayers and talents on the altar of the Sacrifice of mass. We must freely and joyfully surrender to Him all our lives in praise and thanksgiving. No lesser gift than the gift of our lives is sufficient for the newborn king, the Light of life.
Merry Christmas!
Fr. Bernard Alayode, OP
RSS Feed