Our Response To The Birth Of Christ

 

The  Lord is king.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Sixth Day of Christmas Octave, Saturday 30th December, 2023
Texts: St. John 2:12-17; Psalm 96:7-10; Luke 2:36-40 

Today’s gospel reading challenges our response to the birth of Christ. For some of us it is about dining and wining, throwing bangers, wearing good clothes and shoes. It is also a period to travel for some of us. Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, teaches us today how to respond to the birth of Christ. We read about her thus: “And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.”  

The genuine response to the birth of Christ is that of gratitude to God and proclamation of the good news. In the spirit of gratitude the psalm says, “Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.” The psalm also says, “Give the  Lord, you families of peoples, give the  Lord glory and power; give the  Lord the glory of his name.” It invites us to proclaim the good news thus: “Say to the nations: 'The  Lord is king.” 

He who does the will of God abides for ever

The Psalm also invites us to bring gifts to God and to worship Him. It says, “Bring an offering and enter his courts; worship the  Lord in holy splendour. O tremble before him, all the earth.” This brings to mind the wise men who came from the East to give Him gifts.  To us Jesus Christ says, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.” We are to respond to the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ by giving to the needy. We are also to worship the Lord. 

The birth of Christ also invites us to love God and to give up the love of the world. We read, “If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever.” God reveals His love in the birth of Christ to teach us to love.  

Prayer 

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that the newness of the Nativity in the flesh of your Only Begotten Son may set us free, for ancient servitude holds us bound beneath the yoke of sin. Amen (Collect) 

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke