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Merry Christmas!
- there will be no weekend edition of Daily Spiritual Seed this week
This was the fulness of time, when Christ Jesus did come, that the Messiah should come. It was so to the Jews, and it was so to the Gentiles too... Christ hath excommunicated no nation, no shire, no house, no man; He gives none of His ministers leave to say to anyone, "thou art not redeemed;" He gives no wounded or afflicted conscience leave to say to itself, "I am not redeemed."
... John Donne (1573-1631)
("Christ Jesus did come" . . . accept God's acceptance of you in Christ.)
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Is 52:7-10; Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6; Heb 1:1-6
Jn 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed him.
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, ‘Your God is King!’ ” —Isaiah 52:7
The Good News of Christmas is: “A Savior has been born to you” (Lk 2:11). “Your Savior comes” (Is 62:11). “When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us” (Ti 3:4-5). If Jesus had not been born, our future would be bleak, our present a desperate escape attempt, and our past an even heavier burden. If Jesus had not been born, fear, resentment and depression would reign supreme. If Jesus had not been
born, we could not stand to live but would be afraid to die.
Tell a broken world about Jesus this Christmas. Accept Him as Lord and Savior. “Christ our Savior is born!”
Prayer: Jesus, open my lips to tell a lost and hurting world about Your saving love for them.
Promise: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we have seen His glory: the glory of an only Son coming from the Father, filled with enduring love.” —Jn 1:14
Praise: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with Child, and bear a Son, and shall name Him Immanuel” (Is 7:14). Merry Christmas!
Presentation Ministries
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Abandonment to Divine Providence
- by Jean-Pierre de Caussade
BOOK II,
CHAPTER IV. CONCERNING THE ASSISTANCE RENDERED BY THE FATHERLY PROVIDENCE OF GOD TO THOSE SOULS WHO HAVE ABANDONED THEMSELVES TO HIM
SECTION III. The Generosity of God
The more God seems to despoil the soul that is in the state of abandonment, the more generous are His gifts.
In truth those guides who, of their own accord, run after souls, deserve to be distrusted. Those who are truly inspired by the spirit of God do not, as a rule, show so much eagerness and self sufficiency. They do not come forward until they are appealed to, and even then they proceed with caution. May the soul that has given itself entirely to God pass without fear through all these trials without losing its balance.
Provided it is faithful to the divine action, this all-powerful action can produce marvels in it in spite of every obstacle.
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