“In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace." Lk 1: 78-79
Over the last few weeks of advent, the time to prepare for the coming of our Lord Jesus, I must admit I’ve been so preoccupied with work that I haven’t had much time to think much about Christmas. I’ve been so stressed out focusing on everything that has gone wrong with my experiments and working so hard to finish up before the holidays, that some days I wished we didn’t have time off so I would have more time to work. I imagine that many of us feel stressed out during this season, with all the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping and preparing for the holidays, that we often overlook the greatness of Christmas. But it’s never too late!
Today, Christmas Eve, Luke’s gospel is a reminder that Jesus came to set us free - “free to worship him without fear” (Lk 1: 74), free to be ourselves and celebrate this joyous occasion! What a perfect way to remember what Christmas is all about: a celebration of the birth of Jesus, who came to save us from sin and set us free. It’s amazing how all my stress and worry can seem so insignificant when I think about how wonderful Christmas really is. When I give up my need to control everything and lift up all my stress and worry to the Lord, I’m left with a deep sense of peace knowing that everything will work out. There might never be enough time for me to get everything done “my way” but there is peace in knowing that God often has a plan we don’t always see or understand. Although it is so easy to let the troubles and difficulties of the day or the month get me down, I can’t keep letting it cloud what I believe is true: that Jesus loves us greatly and He will provide, we just have to open ourselves to let Him. With that in mind everyday, there are no obstacles we can’t overcome, nothing we can’t do, the possibilities are truly endless!
What keeps you from being free, from the peace in knowing Jesus will provide?
Lord, may the celebration of your miraculous birth guide us all into the way of peace.
reflected by Ylan Nguyen
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