Not Alone

     “What worthy return can we make for so great a condescension? The Only-begotten God, ineffably born of God, entered the Virgin’s womb and grew and took the frame of poor humanity. He who upholds the universe, with Whom and through Whom are all things, was brought forth from common childbirth. He as Whose voice the archangels and angels tremble, and heaven and earth and all the elements of this world are melted, was heard in childish wailing. The Invisible and Incomprehensible, Whom sight and feeling and touch cannot measure, was wrapped in a cradle.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         St. Hilary of Poitiers


     The rush of preparing for our Christmas celebrations, along with the hustle and bustle of our holiday visits, can make it both challenging and difficult for the true meaning of the celebration to penetrate.

     “And the Word became flesh, and made His dwelling among us” (Jn 1:14).

     The Second Person of the Blessed Trinity loved us so very much that He became one of us! Jesus became a little baby! That very truth should stop us in our tracks! It should bring a sense of peace and certainty to our everyday existence. Like St. Hilary, we need to take quiet moments and ponder this fact. Although we may not be able to completely wrap our minds around this truth, we should allow it to ruminate in our minds, pondering it over and over again, till it sinks into our hearts, minds and souls.   

  “Behold, the virgin shall be with Child and bear a Son, and they shall call Him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us” (Mt 1:23).

     God IS with us! He IS our Companion for our journey – the almighty and all powerful God choose to love us in this unique and unbelievable way! We have nothing to fear! This fact should change our lives and our attitude about our future.

     As we say goodbye to the past year, and hello to a new year, we do not know what the future will bring. Like the year before, it will be filled with joys and struggles, heartaches and cherished moments. For some of us, it could be our last year here on earth, while for others, their first, but for most, their journey will continue. Regardless of where we are in life, we have to remember that we are not alone.

     Taking time to ponder that we are not alone, but are accompanied by God, who walks with us, should fill us with peace! Remembering that Jesus was born, suffered, died, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, so that we could have the grace to live our lives fully on this earth, and be with Him one day in heaven, IS the Good News that will get us through this and every new year.

     Before this year gets too far ahead, step back. Take time to thank God for His faithfulness to you. Thank Him for His graces and blessings. Recommit to times of quiet prayer to stay connected to Him. Tell Him in your prayer time about your day. Speak about your hopes and fears. Present and surrender your needs into His most loving hands. Whisper your pains and heartaches into His ear. Ask for an increase in faith, hope, trust and love. Sit and be receptive to God’s gifts of grace and His presence. Bask in His love!

         Let us begin to make a small return to God, for the awesome gift of His Son. We cannot live our lives as if Jesus’ coming has no impact upon us. Christ's becoming Man and all that that entails, should make us live our lives differently. Ponder that fact, long and hard, till you can begin to taste it. You will then be able to accept more quickly, all that happens in life, knowing you are not alone. God IS with you!