Beloved in Christ,
Think of Mary. Think like Mary. The Gospel according to Luke tells us that the angel Gabriel appeared to "a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary" (Lk 1: 26-27). The fulfillment of hopes of ages past takes place in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Her son, Jesus, is the one God promised to rule over the house of Jacob forever and whose kingdom will have no end. The conception of Jesus in the womb of the virgin is the beginning of a unique event in the story of our salvation. The incarnation, the coming of God into our world in the flesh, is the work of the Holy Spirit, who overshadowed Mary. Full of grace, Mary says "yes" to God's plan because she must have thought of nothing else more edifying and glorifying of God. The virgin must have wondered how God's mysterious plan of redemption was going to work out since she was a virgin, and her fiat would have exposed her to shame and reprobation. Yet, she agreed to God's plan for her. Whenever you are in a situation beyond comprehension, consider Mary's fiat: let it be done to me according to your will, O Lord.
"And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." (Lk 2:19). All the events that unfolded before Mary- the virginal conception, the miraculous birth, the message about the child brought by the shepherds, all these amazing interactions of the divine with human experience occupied the heart of Mary and filled her with faith, hope and joy. Mary's thoughts must be our thoughts as we celebrate Christmas. We must let our hearts be nourished and strengthened by the birth of Jesus Christ. We must consider the ways of Mary, her trust in God, and her yes to God. We must keep all the things concerning the birth of Jesus in our hearts, reflecting on them all through the Christmas season and beyond. How do we do this? Think of Mary. Think like Mary. Meditate daily on the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
We must continually turn to the Sacred Scriptures and prayers to understand the meaning of these and their purpose in our relationship with the son of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, born to us on Christmas night. Our hearts must meditate on the beautiful and spiritually rich Christmas cards and carols we are encouraged to meditate upon and sing respectively throughout the season. Mary gave birth to Joy, a joy to the world, on that Silent Night, a Holy Night. In like manner, our hearts must give life to Christ as we let the message of Christmas touch and transform our souls and those we come in contact with. The message of the birth of the Messiah is built on humility, love, grace, and joy. We must strive to live out these virtues daily. If we must understand the meaning of Christmas, we must think of Mary and like Mary, who personifies all these virtues.
The joy of Christmas does not end on Christmas day; it endures liturgically until the Baptism of the Lord. Keep the joyful heart and atmosphere alive all through the season of Christmas. Keep the joy and light of Christmas alive in your homes, and spread the good cheers everywhere you go. We will do this splendidly as a parish on the Night of the Epiphany of the Lord, January 7, at 7 p.m. With our young adult musical band, the Forgven, we shall have a parish Holy Hour of blessings, grace, and healing prayers. Jesus, the incarnate word of God, will be exposed and devoutly carried around in a monstrance for adoration in our church. We want to praise, thank, adore, bless, and petition God for his goodness as we begin the new year. Please make attendance at this special hour of grace a priority. Jesus will bless you and your family.
On behalf of Deacon Gregory Amarante and the parish office staff, I wish you a joyous Christmas and a grace-filled New Year.
In His Joy,
Fr. Alayode Bernard Oniwe, OP
Think of Mary. Think like Mary. The Gospel according to Luke tells us that the angel Gabriel appeared to "a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary" (Lk 1: 26-27). The fulfillment of hopes of ages past takes place in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Her son, Jesus, is the one God promised to rule over the house of Jacob forever and whose kingdom will have no end. The conception of Jesus in the womb of the virgin is the beginning of a unique event in the story of our salvation. The incarnation, the coming of God into our world in the flesh, is the work of the Holy Spirit, who overshadowed Mary. Full of grace, Mary says "yes" to God's plan because she must have thought of nothing else more edifying and glorifying of God. The virgin must have wondered how God's mysterious plan of redemption was going to work out since she was a virgin, and her fiat would have exposed her to shame and reprobation. Yet, she agreed to God's plan for her. Whenever you are in a situation beyond comprehension, consider Mary's fiat: let it be done to me according to your will, O Lord.
"And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." (Lk 2:19). All the events that unfolded before Mary- the virginal conception, the miraculous birth, the message about the child brought by the shepherds, all these amazing interactions of the divine with human experience occupied the heart of Mary and filled her with faith, hope and joy. Mary's thoughts must be our thoughts as we celebrate Christmas. We must let our hearts be nourished and strengthened by the birth of Jesus Christ. We must consider the ways of Mary, her trust in God, and her yes to God. We must keep all the things concerning the birth of Jesus in our hearts, reflecting on them all through the Christmas season and beyond. How do we do this? Think of Mary. Think like Mary. Meditate daily on the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
We must continually turn to the Sacred Scriptures and prayers to understand the meaning of these and their purpose in our relationship with the son of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, born to us on Christmas night. Our hearts must meditate on the beautiful and spiritually rich Christmas cards and carols we are encouraged to meditate upon and sing respectively throughout the season. Mary gave birth to Joy, a joy to the world, on that Silent Night, a Holy Night. In like manner, our hearts must give life to Christ as we let the message of Christmas touch and transform our souls and those we come in contact with. The message of the birth of the Messiah is built on humility, love, grace, and joy. We must strive to live out these virtues daily. If we must understand the meaning of Christmas, we must think of Mary and like Mary, who personifies all these virtues.
The joy of Christmas does not end on Christmas day; it endures liturgically until the Baptism of the Lord. Keep the joyful heart and atmosphere alive all through the season of Christmas. Keep the joy and light of Christmas alive in your homes, and spread the good cheers everywhere you go. We will do this splendidly as a parish on the Night of the Epiphany of the Lord, January 7, at 7 p.m. With our young adult musical band, the Forgven, we shall have a parish Holy Hour of blessings, grace, and healing prayers. Jesus, the incarnate word of God, will be exposed and devoutly carried around in a monstrance for adoration in our church. We want to praise, thank, adore, bless, and petition God for his goodness as we begin the new year. Please make attendance at this special hour of grace a priority. Jesus will bless you and your family.
On behalf of Deacon Gregory Amarante and the parish office staff, I wish you a joyous Christmas and a grace-filled New Year.
In His Joy,
Fr. Alayode Bernard Oniwe, OP
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