1st Sunday After Christmas Day
Divine Direction that Leads to Eternal Life
Ships and aircraft are means of transportation that ferry passengers to their desired destination. A common instrument called a compass can be found at the control station of the ship (bridge) and cockpit (pilot's control room), to guide the navigators and pilots.
Like these vessels that require a compass we, too, need God's guidance, His divine direction; so He must dwell in our hearts, that which dictates man's path in life. More than two thousand years ago God sent the Savior, apart from Whom we do not exist (John 1:3) and can do nothing (John 15:5). We must be connected to Him 24/7 in order to know where we are going.
In today's Gospel Reading St. Joseph was directed by God's angel to keep the baby Jesus safe from the hands of King Herod. Joseph's positive response to God's direction brought the fulfilment of God's plan for man's salvation. We, too, have been directed by God, to preach the Gospel to all creation and, like Joseph, it requires our positive response. Let us therefore continue to encourage one another and pray for spiritual strength to live righteously, serve actively, and give generously.
Jesus is Immanuel, God with us, and promises that He will stay with us forever if we accept Him. We’ve been connected to Him, the vine, and made citizens of His Kingdom (John 3:5). We've been reconciled with Him through the forgiveness of our sins (Rom. 5:10-11). He sets a proper course for us by opening our spiritual eyes, so that we may learn to walk along His path. Then He made us His ambassadors so that other people's spiritual eyes may be opened as they turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, receiving forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified with Him (Acts 26:17). We have His instructions, the Holy Bible, a map that will show us, with the help of the Holy Spirit, the path of righteousness. God has fully equipped us spiritually so that we will not stumble or fall while living in this crooked and perverse generation.
