THE PROMISE OF FOREVER - 12/24/22 (Saturday of the Fourth Week of Advent Mass in the Morning)

Luke 1:68–71

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us...”

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122422.cfm

Blessed Christmas Eve! St. Zechariah praised the Lord after he was cured from being mute and after St. Elizabeth gave birth to St. John the Baptist. God truly deserves to be blessed and praised. He is worthy of our love because He is love. It is because of this merciful love of God that He visited His own people. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord. He came to redeem us from our sins. For us to truly appreciate the saving work of God, it's important for us to reflect on the aspect of eternity. Humankind has always been destined by God to everlasting life with Him. But, due to the original sin of Adam and Eve, we inherited the fallen human nature, and mankind severed its relationship with the Lord. Despite all of this, we can see God's mercy because He has always been faithful in His covenant. And, the fullness of God's relationship is realized in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God offered us the gift of salvation, and this was seen in the gift of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's the gift of His birth. Jesus loves us, and despite our sins, He still offers us eternal life. He wants us to be with Him forever in heaven. 

This offer can only be accepted when we also choose to give ourselves to Christ forever. What does this mean? This means that we should be faithful to God, not just today, not just during the Christmas season, but in everyday life. It's because God is truly worthy to be loved with everything He has given us, as shown when He also gave Himself completely to us. As seen in the Canticle of St. Zechariah, God desires us to be saved from our enemies, from the evil spirits who hate us and who want our eternal damnation. We should not fear them because we have God on our side. How's our relationship with Him? As we wait for Christmas, let's remember that Jesus wants us to be dedicated in loving Him, not just on one day, but forever. Even if we struggle with sins, God is always giving us the opportunity to repent, seek the sacraments such as the confession and Mass, and renew our love for Him. May we reflect on God's goodness and mercy towards us and ponder on how we can serve Him throughout our whole lives and forever.  Let's trust in His compassion and find joy in His coming. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth