December: The Christmas Chronicles
December: The Christmas Chronicles
The arrangement of the New Testament often causes us to forget that the Gospels were composed after the Letters. They were written to present the One whose life has inspired the understanding and lifestyle ethics expressed in every letter. Who is this “Jesus” mentioned in the Letters? Why do His followers call him, “Messiah”(the Christ)? Why is He exalted as “Lord”? Why is He called Son- a title recognizing that He possesses God’s royal authority? Why has His Jewish followers created a mystery out of the simplicity of their monotheism by making Him co-equal to and one with God in substance?
In these Gospels the writers continue to make the case for why Jesus is “Lord” (with a capital ‘L’) rather than merely “a lord” (with a little ‘L’). If Jesus is a “Little ‘L’ lord” than we can add him to our buffet of spiritual options. If He is the “Capital ‘L’ Lord” than He demands our exclusive devotion and our surrender. This is not a surrender that demands we grovel before Him. This surrender liberates us as we yield to His call, follow His example, and respond to his teaching. This opportunity is a gift because it brings us into a new relationship where God becomes our Father as He adopts us as His own...
Christmas is more than a day and a season. Christmas IS a person... Christmas is Jesus! Let’s use this month’s readings as God’s gift to us... the unveiling of the one we worship as Messiah, Savior, and Son!