ALLOW IT NOW…

FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
Is 42, 1-4, 6-7/Ps 29/Ac 10, 34-38/Mt 3, 13-17

We have seen a lot from Pope Francis since from the beginning of his election. At the moment he presented himself to the world, he declined the use of the usual mozzeta and instead wore the simple white sotana. He is also using the shoes that were given to him when he was a cardinal instead of the required red shoes for the pope. Instead of staying at the Apostolic Palace, he opted to stay with the priests and bishops at the Casa Santa Marta. We have also seen how he managed to carry his own bag in his way to Brazil for the World Youth Day. Here is a man who, despite of his high-ranked profile, humbles himself in order to get closer with the people. And for those who are astounded by his way of life, for Pope Francis, this is simply normal for him.

And today, the same story is also told when Jesus allowed Himself to be baptized by John the Baptist in the waters of Jordan River. Here is a God who, in his full humanity, allows himself to be baptized by a humble and simple man, too. In allowing Himself to be baptized by water, He reveals Himself in glory, a glory which He will bring to fulfilment when He sheds blood for us at the cross. Thus, Jesus has allowed Himself to be baptized in water so that He will also “baptize” us through His blood on the cross. And this somehow sums up the inauguration of the ministry of Jesus.

At the same time, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord signals the end of the Christmas season. Afterwhich, everything goes back to normal; Ordinary Time begins. And as we begin to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord in the Ordinary Time, Jesus challenges us by His own humility: “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.” By saying this to John, He allows himself to be fully human and thus be able to journey with us. And this will be evident as we begin to contemplate the mysteries of the Lord in the coming Sundays. Let us allow the “now” to permeate in us as we begin to go back to the normal way of things because the “now” compels us to “fulfil all righteousness.”

We end the joyous celebration of the Christmas season. Yet, it gives us the opportunity to start anew as we enter Ordinary Time. The present moment challenges us to fulfil what God wants of us as we return to the normal way of things.

PRAYER:
May your presence be with us, O Lord, as we go back to the usual way of things. May it never tire us nor bore us but rather lead us to the enthusiasm of living only for your most holy will. Amen.

ONLY IN HIS GLORY

SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD (Cycle A)
Is 60, 1-6/Ps 72/Eph 3, 2. 5-6/Mt 2, 1-12

Today, we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. It is the day when God as a man in Jesus Christ manifested himself to the humankind through the Magi. It is told that these Magi came from the east to worship the infant Jesus, bringing him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, as attested in our Gospel reading for this day.

But the central point of this celebration is actually the fact that God reveals Himself as a man through Jesus Christ (cf. Eph 2, 3a). And the Magi, representing the humankind, were the one of the first witnesses of the Incarnation of God as man. This is very significant for us who believe: God, as a man, left His own glory and revealed Himself with much simplicity and humility as a frail and weak child born in a stable. What a mystery!

This mystery touches us always because we have here a God who really immersed Himself as a man so that He could bear our own frailties and sufferings. Through this way, He could understand us. He could listen to our own experience of joys and strengths as well as our pains and sufferings in this earthly life. He could embrace us. He could assure us that, indeed, there is someone higher than us who could freely embrace us because here is a God who, through His great love for us, can attest to what we are undergoing as humans because He journeyed with us.

Somehow, this mystery is what has been revealed to the Magi when they tried to look and search for this child. They did undergo the hardships and the pangs of the magnanimous journey they are going to take. Nevertheless, they are guided by the star. And that star is the one that sparked their hope that they will see soon the Messiah born on the night of Christmas. They persevered until they saw in humble glory the Son of God sleeping in a manger as a little child. They are, indeed, witnesses of God’s glory in all its simplicity and humility.

At times, we are also like the Magi tirelessly seeking for the infant Jesus. In our busy and fast paced life, we find answers to all the questions of life which may somehow darken our hope that we don’t even notice God manifesting Himself in the events and persons that come along the way. Despite of this, only the infant child in Bethlehem could pacify our own doubts because, in His glory, we can find the answers in His humility as a human person.

A Blessed Epiphany to all!

PRAYER:
Lord, give us the grace to seek tirelessly your face so that we may learn from you, who journeyed with us so that your glory may be glorified. Amen

BY HER TENDERNESS AND LOVE

SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD (January 01) (Cycle A)
Nm 6, 22-27/Ps 67/Gal 4, 4-7/Lk 2, 16-21

How timely that we celebrate this solemnity on the first day of the year! And indeed, the famous blessing of Aaron on the first reading today from the book of Numbers is also the same blessing that we wish to someone at the beginning of the year: “The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord let his face shine upon you and give you peace….” As we honor today Mary, the Mother of God, this blessing is indeed a testimony that as She is “full of grace”: the Lord God has blessed her and kept her from the stain of sin, and so she is blessed among women; the Lord God has let his face shine upon Mary by letting the Son of God born to her in flesh and bone and has given her lasting peace because the Son she is bearing is the Prince of Peace; the Lord God has been gracious to Mary because she is full of grace.

Yet despite of this, she is still a mother; tender and loving yet full of worries and anxieties. And this is what our Gospel of today portrays Mary. She is tender and loving because she kept all these things in her heart. She pondered well everything that transcribed in the mystery of Incarnation. But what shall follow in her life are a series that would lead her to anxiety and worry: the flight to Egypt, the prediction of Simeon in the temple, the finding of the Child Jesus…. All of these were part of her experience of motherhood. But even then, her tenderness as a mother remained: she kept all these things in her heart.

And this is what we learn from so tender a mother. And with her motherhood stands also the fact that, with the birth of God’s son, we also benefit from her motherhood. Just as we become God’s sons and daughters through the birth of His Son (cf. Gal 4, 4-7), Mary too became our own mother.

So let us turn to our tender and loving mother. By her tenderness and love as well as her anxieties and worries, we know that we can learn from her. Let us place our trust and confidence in her because she is our mother.

PRAYER:
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

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