One Minute Reflection – 25 December – The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

One Minute Reflection – 25 December – The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations;
and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God…Isaiah 52:10

REFLECTION – “Today, the Son of God is born and everything changes.   The Saviour of the world comes to partake of our human nature;  no longer are we alone and forsaken. The Virgin offers us her Son as the beginning of a new life.   The true light has come to illumine our lives so often beset by the darkness of sin.   Today we once more discover who we are!   Tonight we have been shown the way to reach the journey’s end.   Now must we put away all fear and dread, for the light shows us the path to Bethlehem.   We must not be laggards;  we are not permitted to stand idle.   We must set out to see our Saviour lying in a manger.   This is the reason for our joy and gladness:  this Child has been “born to us”;  he was “given to us”, as Isaiah proclaims (cf. 9:5).   The people who for for two thousand years has traversed all the pathways of the world in order to allow every man and woman to share in this joy is now given the mission of making known “the Prince of peace” and becoming His effective servant in the midst of the nations.”…HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS on the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, 2015

PRAYER – Almighty God, Your incarnate Word fills us with the new light He brought to men.   Let the light of faith in our hearts shine through all the ages, to bring Your light to all nations.   Come, come, let us adore our Holy Babe of Bethlehem, through whom we pray, in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever amen.