I related a couple of weeks ago that I cried during Mass when,
during the annual Christmas children’s play, the “baby Jesus” (usually
portrayed by a newborn baby of the parish) is placed in the arms of the girl
playing the part of Mary. I felt as
though I was there in that stable those many, many years ago witnessing the
humanity of Jesus.
This morning at Mass I cried again!
(I hope this isn’t going to be a pattern—I have an image to uphold, you
know). As the Gospel was being read, I
placed myself in the synagogue as Jesus was reading the scroll with the passage
from Isaiah. I was as rapt as His audience
was then and amazed at His knowledge and teaching. When He said “Today, in your hearing this
Scripture is fulfilled”, I lost it. My
eyes filled with tears and I felt so unworthy to be in His presence, witnessing
the divinity of Jesus.
It’s not the first time I’ve realized it, but these last two
incidents brought home to me that I really, really believe in Jesus Christ and
His Good News! I felt so blessed! I was elated when the
Holy Spirit reinforced what that can mean for me (and anyone else who believes)
in 1John 5:5-13.
To paraphrase John (I hope I got it right!):
Faith is our best measure of success. The successful person is the
one who believes in Jesus. Jesus was actually born. He is our Savior by blood
through His birth in human form and by His death. Jesus is fully human, born as a baby from a
human woman, and fully God. Those who acknowledge His humanity and His divinity
are the winners and their prize is eternal life. Those who believe in God and Jesus and praise Him
are blessed, and their children are blessed, and they are blessed with life
everlasting. When we believe in God,
when we believe in Jesus, we win. And
our prize is the blessing of our faith, healing, and life everlasting.
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