Christmas Eve
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:
come to save us, Lord our God! -- O Antiphon, December 23
The day is almost upon us! The repeated imperative "Come!" in the “O Antiphons” expresses the messianic longing of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes but also of present ones. Advent is all about this "arrival of hope," birth, and renewal.
Advent prepares us to receive Him. We contemplate how the infant Christ Mary held tenderly in the manger is the same Christ that rested in her arms after He died on the Cross for us.
In today’s Gospel reading, Mt 1:20-23,
“Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.”
For many of us, this year has not been the greatest. One nearly needs to walk down a city street to see a world replete with problems: some tragic, some self-inflected, all unfortunate. Though we may have faced challenges and hardships, it is our responsibility to rise and bear our burdens, embodying Christ through the kindness we extend to others. Often, this is no easy task.
We all feel shattered at times, but we must remember that the same God who created the depths of the oceans and arranged the stars also made you. You are a unique reflection of His love—a special gift to the world that has never been seen before and will never be seen again. We need to let that love in and accept that it is okay to feel His love and love ourselves as well.
So, I am asking all of you to embrace the coming of Emmanuel. Let us fully embrace the promise of Christ in our hearts and make it a lasting commitment rather than just a fleeting New Year's resolution. Know that Christ is with us, God loves us, and through the Holy Spirit we are blessed to live as a sign of his undying love on earth.
"Have hope, keep the faith, and in all things love." 1 Corinthians 13:13.
Josef Luciano is a writer and copy editor who lives in NYC. To read more from Josef or to contact him directly, please visit JosefLuciano.com.