COME, LORD JESUS
Christmas is fast approaching. We are supposed to prepare ourselves properly for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The liturgy of Advent is a good reminder of the approaching of Christmas.
But more than the liturgy it is the advertising campaigns mounted by supermarkets and other commercial organizations which most effectively remind us the approaching of Christmas. But there is a danger that these reminders from the business world may lead us far away from the essence of Christmas, rather than bring us closer to it. There is, in fact, the danger that it may end up by reducing our preparation for Christmas to buying and sending gifts and cards, attending Christmas parties and so on.
These things are not bad in themselves, of course... But, sometimes, they make us forget that the essence of our preparation for Christmas is that we prepare ourselves to welcome our Lord Jesus in our hearts and in our lives.
There are "dark spots" in our hearts an lives that need to be eliminated as part of our preparation for Christmas... Getting rid of these "dark spots", is only the initial part of it. The more positive aspect of practicing Christian virtues should follow or go side by side with it.
The most important Christian virtue, the virtue our Lord Jesus calls "my commandment", is to love one another as He has loved us.
"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I loved you" (John 15, 12). It is out of love that Jesus took on Himself our sins and offered his life on the Cross. "Greater love than this no one has, that one lay down his life for his friends" (John. 15, 13).
Love is the most important virtue. The reason is given by St Paul: "For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. Love does not evil to the neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law" (Romans. 13, 8-10).
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God..He who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (St. John; first letter: 4, 7-8).
May the gift of Jesus’ wonderful love fill our hearts with the deepest joy and peace and help us to love one another as He loved us.
Fr.Cipriano Bontacchio
You are welcome to the Christmas Mass in English on December 21 at 4 o’clock p.m.
MERRY CRISTMAS !