“COMFORT, O COMFORT MY PEOPLE, SAYS YOUR GOD.” (ISAIAH 40:1)
Much like the people at the time of Isaiah, we too are in a form of exile during the pandemic. We are in the wildness and we eagerly await a time when comfort will come and when the exile will be over. And so, the promise of Isaiah is good news to us today, because our world is in desperate need of some comfort, in desperate need of some good news. The holiday season is already a challenging time for people who are suffering pain or loss. From the beginning November till the New year, the focus on family leaves those who are grieving the loss of loved ones or broken relationships, struggling to put a smile on their face and attempting to pretend to be in the holiday spirit, all the while they are barely making it one day at a time.
May we be both gentle and honest with one another, striving to provide comfort and peace during this season. It is my prayer that this season in general, will be one of reflection, comfort, and grace as we continue to navigate this pandemic. For the Gospel tells us, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. A light has dawned upon those who lived in the land as dark as death.” The light that has come down from heaven has conquered the darkness caused by the sin. Jesus is born. Word becomes flesh. God gives us His only Son as an ultimate proof of His love for us.
Today more than ever, Jesus needs to be born in our life and in our world. Our world is darkened by human selfishness, pride, and sin. We need Jesus to reconcile us with God and one another. The joy of Christmas is not for a day or a season. It is an eternal joy, a joy that no one can take away from us because it is the joy of Christ himself made present in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. May Jesus be born in our hearts at this Christmas.
We pray that the birth of Jesus in our hearts may release us from our pride and selfishness and make us free to live with one another in love.
Recent Comments