December 2009

I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.

My brothers and sisters in Christ.

Today we celebrate the last Sunday of the year 2009. The first Sunday after Christmas in Polish National Catholic Church we celebrate the Solemnity of Humble Shepherds. In our liturgy for this Sunday we remember those who visited first newborn child in Bethlehem.

In the Gospel from St Luke we heard that the angel of the Lord appeared to a few humble shepherds.

They were terrified, but the angel said to them, “do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a Savior has been born for you who is the Messiah, the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

When the angels had returned to heaven the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”

When we hear the message the angels brought to the shepherds, it is amazing that this message motivated the shepherds to proceed to Bethlehem to see a child in a manger – as the angels had foretold. In fact this event moved the shepherds to relate the message to others and “all who heard it were amazed.”

My dear sisters and brothers

This was the beginning of the good news for us and for whole world.

The shepherds went to the manger and presented their respect, worshiping the new born savior of the world.

They left glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, in accord with what had been told them. They returned to their homes with the great gifts they received in their lives. Their hearts were filled with love, peace and knowledge that this child is the savior of the world, the Messiah that the salvation came into the world.

My Dear Brothers and sisters

More than 2000 year’s age Jesus came to our human history, into our world. He came to save what was lost; to enlighten the world with his teachings and to save and sanctify with his grace. He came to change hearts of stone to convert them into hearts of flesh, full of love and compassion. He came to bring salvation to all people on earth. He is the bridge between heaven and earth.

My dear Brothers and sisters as we celebrate solemnity of Humble Shepherds ,and we pray if front of manger humble yourself like shepherds did, pay homage to your Savior, and rejoice in your salvation and share the good news to all people.

The purpose of Advent is to prepare for two of the greatest events of all human history. The first is the liturgical celebration of the birth of Christ into our world. The second is the glorious return of Christ into our world at the end of human history.

Last week’s readings focused, primarily, on preparing for the glorious return of Christ at the end human history. This week’s readings focus, primarily, on the liturgical celebration of the birth of Christ into our world. They urge us to prepare for this joyful celebration in the same way John the Baptist instructed the people of his time to prepare for it. We may sum up John’s instruction in one word: “Repent!”

The word repent means to be sorry for our sins to the point that we want not only to turn away from them but also to make up for the harm they may have inflicted upon ourselves and others.

Years ago there was a Broadway play about a young person who dropped out of school, rejected his family, and became hooked on drugs. In a moving scene in the play, the young person looks up to heaven and cries out in a tortured voice: “O God, how I wish you had made life like a notebook, so that I could tear out the pages on which I made mistakes and throw them away forever.”

Thanks to Jesus, our life is like a notebook. We can tear out the pages on which we made mistakes, and throw them away forever. In his love, Jesus gave us the sacrament of Reconciliation. Through it, we can literally tear out those parts of our life where we made mistakes and throw them away forever. As a result, the sacrament of Reconciliation is the perfect way to prepare us for the liturgical celebration of Christ’s first coming into the world.

Next Sunday we will celebrate sacrament of penance. Let us prepare ourselves with prayer to Our Father for His blessing during sacrament of penance.