Today we have a guest blogger, Arlene B. Muller. Arlene B. Muller (Arlene Clare Muller, OSF) is a lector and EM at St. Pancras parish, a singer in the choir at St. Margaret's parish, a professed Secular Franciscan at St. Adalbert's Secular Franciscan fraternity & an itinerant speech/language therapist working with preschool children with delayed language development. She enjoys writing and music and sharing Christian and pro-life posts on FACEBOOK.
Blessed Christmas! Today, New Year's Day, is the 8th day in the Octave of Christmas, and in the Church Christmas is not confined to a day or two but is a season that continues through the feast of the Epiphany and the Feast of the Baptism of the LORD, and in some traditions it is celebrated up to and including February 2, the feast of the Presentation of the LORD, also known as Candlemas Day. So although some people who put up their Christmas trees before Thanksgiving will probably take down their decorations tomorrow, and live trees will appear on the curbs to be picked up by the Sanitation Department, in the Church we are still celebrating Christmas! So it's actually not weird to reflect today on the words the angels announced to the shepherds on that holy and otherwise silent night when JESUS CHRIST was born!
This message was given over 2000 years ago for the shepherds who were watching their flocks, and this message of good news was also meant for all people throughout the world in every time and season.
Imagine the shepherds, tired & busy ensuring that the new lambs would be delivered safely and the rest of the sheep would not wander off. Suddenly they see bright angelic creatures lighting up the night sky who were larger than life. This must have been a truly awesome sight that sent shivers down their spines. So, of course, they were awestruck and terrified and needed the angels to say "DO NOT BE AFRAID". On another level, they were living in fearful times with a murderous maniac named Herod the Great governing their geographical area, and their nation had been overtaken by the mighty Roman Empire. The good news of great joy was that FINALLY the long awaited Messiah has been born. He is not only the long awaited and hoped for Messiah but also the Savior and LORD!
Although the literal historical and geographical context is now very different from Bethlehem over 2000 years ago, the message of the angels is for all time and especially needed in our time. In 2021-2022 America we are living in somewhat chaotic and divisive times, overshadowed by the dark cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic that provides an atmosphere of unpredictability, uncertainty and much fear, anxiety and confusion. This is a time when we sorely need comfort and encouragement not to be overcome by fear and anxiety but to look to JESUS, our Savior, Messiah and LORD, Who was born to us as our EMMANUEL "GOD WITH US". Because GOD Himself took on our humanity in the Person of JESUS CHRIST and chose to walk with us and still promises to be with us and within us, even though we cannot see Him with our physical eyes or hear Him with our physical ears, we don't have to be victims of our circumstances, but our hearts and minds can transcend our earthly fears and enter into great joy as we embrace the good news.
Several days ago I found it very easy to write that in our challenging times we need to live neither carelessly not fearfully, but with prudent caution and holy joy. I still believe this, but my exhortation not to be afraid has definitely been challenged, because a few days ago I found out that a friend with whom I had been singing at the same microphone a few days prior had tested positive for COVID-19. I confess that I have been feeling rather shaky and worried not only about my own health but especially about the health of friends with whom I had been in contact and the children I had taught during the week when I was unaware that I had been exposed to COVID-19. Naturally I had to communicate to them about their potential exposure to COVID-19 through me, and I also have questions about how long I need to quarantine, when I can get accurate test results, and when people, especially my friend who has Crohn's disease, can be safe around me. I definitely have lots of questions and worries. In a time of constant change regarding COVID-19 and an administration not always protective of human life (e.g., the unborn, people left behind in Afghanistan), how can we ensure we are protected and safe?
The good news of great joy is that GOD became Incarnate, and He is still faithful, He is still with us and loving us, no matter what happens, and that we can depend on Him to help and strengthen us. JESUS CHRIST is still our Savior, our Messiah and our LORD, even though life might not necessarily turn out like the last 10 minutes of a HALLMARK movie. So far I feel reasonably well, and hopefully I will test negative and free of COVID-19. But because JESUS is our EMMANUEL, our Savior and LORD, we can have the assurance that He will walk with us through every circumstance, no matter what. The dark clouds still overshadow us, but the LIGHT OF CHRIST can still break through & give us joy.
A comment sent by e-mail from Deacon Tom Page of St. Adalbert's Parish who is also the Local Minister of our Secular Franciscan fraternity at St. Adalbert's:
ReplyDelete"An excellent reflection regarding our times and the time JESUS was born. Thank you."