December 21st

December 21, 2022
Wednesday of the 4 th Week of Advent
Readings: Sg 2:8-14 or Zep 3:14-18a/Lk 1:39-45
Alejandro Hinojos: Senior
In our first reading today, we once again hear the prophet Isaiah proclaim of
the coming of the salvation from God, as Light has come from God to the people
who have lived in the darkness, to illuminate their lives and their paths, restoring
unto them their hope and strength. That prophecy also mentions the time of
liberation and freedom, as the light and salvation of God is revealed in the person
of Jesus Christ. That prophecy is a direct reference to the Savior whom God sends
into the world, and his birth we commemorate this Christmas.
In the first reading, we see the prophet Isaiah ascribe very peculiar titles to
this Holy One born to save all the people of God. His titles are ‘Wonderful
Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ In fact, the one
whom the prophet gives these titles is the Son of God Himself, Jesus Christ the
second Person of the Blessed Trinity.
In this reading from the prophet Isaiah, we can learn that God made Himself
small and vulnerable as a Child, and as a human like us in everything except sin, so
that through Him, and His sharing of our human nature and existence, He may
bring unto us the perfection of love and obedience, showing us what it truly means
to be a disciple and follower of the Lord. Christ comes as “Wonderful Counsellor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” because he is the Mediator
between us and our Heavenly Father, God in Heaven, becoming the Bridge
through His Cross, suffering, death, and resurrection, that bring us back to the
Father’
In our Gospel passage today, we hear of the account of the birth of Our Lord
according to St. Luke, which I am sure we are all familiar about, telling us how St.
Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem in Judea according to the census order of the
Roman Emperor Augustus. It is during that journey that Mary gives birth to the
Child Jesus. In that singular journey of Mary and Joseph according to the Gospel
passage, we learn that Jesus takes the center stage as soon as he is born.
Too often we see around us Christmas celebrations that are not centered on
Christ but on other things, and we see how people seek pleasures, joyful
celebrations, merrymaking, parties, and all kinds of activities that make them fill
with revelry and joy, and yet, Christ was noticeably absent from all the
celebrations. That is unfortunately what happens in how Christmas is celebrated all
around the world. Not only that but even among us Christians, that makes me to
ask us some questions. Have we truly been celebrating Christmas because we

understand its significance and importance to us, or have we celebrated Christmas
because we seek all its festivities and joy, for our own selfish desires and wants?
Have we celebrated Christmas not remembering Christ and all that He has done for
us, because of His love for us?
Let us therefore rediscover the true meaning of Christmas and do our best to
return the Lord to the very focus and heart of all our celebrations if we have not yet
done so. If we have in the past allowed our many temptations and distractions,
worldly glamour and secularized Christmas focus to distract us from the true
meaning of Christmas, today is an opportunity to return to the Lord once again and
make this coming Christmas once against about Christ.
May all of us have a great and most blessed Christmas season and may each
one of us grow ever stronger in our faith and love for God, remembering all the
love which He has shown us. Let us all reach out to one another and remind
ourselves not to be distracted by worldly excesses, but instead, be inspired by
God’s great love for us through Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior. Amen.