[Editor’s Note: This article is part of a regular “Fuel Up Friday” e-mail series in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon – to subscribe, contact diocesan Director of Ministry Services Marilyn Jackson at mjackson@rcdos.ca]
By Jacqueline Saretsky, Hospital Chaplaincy, Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon
C. S. Lewis notes that Jesus was born into “enemy-occupied territory.” The universe that God entered into in the form of his Son was not alien to God, yet the universe had become hostile to the Creator. God, who loves his Creation, went into rescue mode to save us from the fall of our first parents who rejected God, leaving us in a world of darkness and sin.
Like a stealth warrior, God the hunter entered our world quietly, under the radar, to rescue us from Satan’s enslavement of sin and death. He was hunting for us, his beloved Creation. “He is the one who is to save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21.
Imagine the scene of the Christ child’s birth; He was born to insignificant parents in a lowly stable, impoverished and cold, warmed by his swaddling clothes and the breath and presence of the animals with him.
Shepherds come to adore him. In biblical times, shepherds were viewed as rough and unclean due to their long periods away from civilization, spending day and night tending to their flocks. Yet these dirty, unsophisticated men were the first to adore the Christ child.
Jesus was born into a highly humble and hostile environment, one that would eventually reject him. Even so, the Christ child came to us from Royal lineage, so we celebrate that “God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus as Saviour.” Acts 13:23
God’s own Son comes to us in humility. As we contemplate the wonder of his birth, we are humbled at the depth of this miracle. As we draw closer to celebrating Christ’s birth, let us make room for him in our hearts, moving aside all the clutter and humbly asking our Saviour to enter in more fully so that we may truly experience the Christ child more remarkably this Christmas.
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