Happy & Blessed 2013!

Luke 2:16-21

16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

Food for thought!

“All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished!” (Lk 2:18)

The gospel story excites wonder; the more we make the gospel message food for thought the more wonderful it becomes. The best example is Mary; she “kept all these things, reflecting on them in the heart.” Mary had lots of food for thought. She had the angelic message to herself (Lk 1:29), the message to the shepherds (Lk 2:19), the message by Simeon (Lk 2:33), and the message from Jesus himself (Lk 2:51).

“The shepherds went back to their flocks.” (Lk 2:20)

Every good thing ends. The shepherds did not make the glorious moment at the feet of Jesus an excuse for neglecting their humble duties. They went back to business. The same with us, now that the party and partying are over, let’s get ready to return to our duties, praising God for his goodness in giving us the name JESUS. The shepherds went away praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. Jesus came in exactly the same manner in which his coming had been spoken of or described by the angels a few hours ago; and also just as his coming had been spoken of or described by the prophets centuries and centuries before. God’s word holds good for eternity as truly as for one day.

“He was named Jesus!” (Lk 2:21)

When the new born child was eight days old (counting from December 25 to January 1 are eight days), he was named Jesus. On this day, the day we begin our new year, the new baby was named Jesus. This is not a coincidence; it is providence. Divine providence gives us “Jesus” to begin with the new year. Why?

Most people, especially adults, create new goals and set resolutions for the new year. Only to discover that by end of January, we have forgotten them or have broken them already. Why do we fail to stick to our resolutions? Why do we fail, despite good intentions?  The reason is because we set To Do goals instead of To Be goals. We forget that doing comes from being, and not the opposite. What we do is because of what we are; if we change what we are, we change what we do. Before we effect any change in our personal lives, our marriage, our health, our workplace, our finances, we have to change our being. The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results. If you do what you have always done, you’ll get what you always got.

Instead of creating to do goals, get a single word that can effect and affect change in you. No more goals. No more resolutions. Just one word, powerful enough to motivate and influence all your doing in 2013. This one word is “Jesus”. This is why we are given this name on 1st of January.  I hope you will remember St. Paul’s recommendation: “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3:17). What you can’t dare do in Jesus’ name, don’t do it. In other words, whatever you can do in the name of Jesus is good and doable; what you can’t do in His name, is bad and don’t do it. For He is Lord both now and forever, AMEN.