“A child will be born to us; they will call him ‘Mighty God’” (cf. Is 9:5).
“In him all the nations of the earth will be blessed” (cf. Gen 22:18).
In reality, even without knowing it, all men await Him,
because we have been created for Him.
In reality, even without knowing it, all men seek Him,
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (Jas 4:8)
In all true love, we seek to be close to the person we love. God, for His part, constantly fills us with His presence and nearness; He seeks man and wants to be with him. But it is also necessary for man to seek God’s nearness, to open his heart to Him, and to long to be with Him. Then he will increasingly perceive the closeness of his beloved Father, who can reveal Himself to an open heart.
“I always guide you along the best path, the one that benefits you most” (Inner Word).
If we have consciously surrendered our lives to our heavenly Father, if we strive daily to follow His Son and pursue holiness, we need not worry about the next stage of the journey. We must simply walk it attentively each day, with the certainty that God will always choose the most suitable path for us in every area of our lives—the one that benefits us most.
With the Child of Bethlehem, a new era begins: the hour of grace.
Everyone is called, everyone is invited to welcome it.
God makes it easy for us to come to Him.
The tenderness of the Child proclaims: “Do not be afraid! I am here!”
So, why should I continue to be afraid?
The Heavenly Father sends His Son and tells us:
“I am so close to you…”
“Be like a well that first collects water within itself and then pours it out in abundance” (St. Bernard).
In today’s quote, St. Bernard emphasizes that we must walk the path of holiness ourselves, which produces abundant fruit when His grace can act powerfully in us. All teachers of the spiritual life will affirm this. In fact, it is entirely logical, “for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Lk 6:45).
What is the Lord trying to tell us by choosing not to be born in a royal palace, surrounded by material riches, but in a poor grotto in Bethlehem?
The words of Jesus come to mind: “My kingdom is not of this world” (Jn 18:36).
The first to receive the Good News proclaimed by the angels were simple shepherds (cf. Lk 2:8–14).
It is a different kingdom from the kingdoms of this world that Satan offered Jesus (cf. Mt 4:8–9).
No one is excluded from this Kingdom; all that is required is to accept the message of faith.
It is not the Kingdom of the rich or the learned; it is not the Kingdom of the rulers of this world; it is not a Kingdom of vanities and human honors.
During the first three weeks of Advent, we have prepared for the Coming of the Lord from three different perspectives:
For Christian life to be complete, these three aspects must go hand in hand and remain in our awareness. Without the historical reality of Redemption, our faith would be a myth; without its internalization, it would lack depth; and without the prospect of Christ’s Return, it would lose its focus on the goal and its dynamism would diminish.
“There is no grace sent from heaven that does not pass through Mary’s hands. The more sinful we are, the greater her compassion for us.” (St. Bernard)
Today we hear from a saint who clearly had no hesitation in officially considering the Virgin Mary the mediator of all graces. His reasoning follows the path of the Incarnation and applies it to the Mystical Body of Christ. Mary is the Mother of the Son and of His Body!
“Whoever prays is certainly saved. He who does not is certainly damned”
—St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
Teachers of the spiritual life never tire of emphasizing the importance of prayer. It is the “great dialogue with God,” as St. Teresa of Avila calls it. In today’s quote, St. Alphonsus strongly recommends it to us and even assures us that if we do not pray, we condemn ourselves. He knows very well that once prayer is neglected—which is already a temptation in itself—all kinds of temptations will follow, and it will become increasingly difficult for us to resist them.
Before entering the final stage leading up to the tender feast of the Nativity of Jesus, we must address other events that will take place before the Second Coming of Christ at the End of Time. Yesterday we spoke about the painful apostasy, and today we must also refer to the appearance of false prophets.
“As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?’ And Jesus answered them, ‘Take heed that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.’” (Mt 24:3–5)
What is a false prophet?
