Jan 17 Fri
What is to be contemplative?
“A holy day has dawned for us. Come, you, nations, and adore the Lord. For this day a great Light has descended upon the earth." “We would like people everywhere to treat Jesus well. We would like the whole world to welcome him affectionately. And we cloak the indifferent silence of those who do not know him or do not love him by singing Christmas carols, the popular songs sung by young and old in all countries with a Christian tradition. Have you noticed how they always speak about going to see and gaze upon the Christ Child as the shepherds did on that blessed night? They went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger."
“It stands to reason. People in love yearn to see each other. Lovers only have eyes for their beloved. Isn't it only natural? That's the way the human heart is. I would be lying if I said I wasn't deeply affected by the thought of contemplating Christ's face. ‘Lord, I long to see your face’. I love to close my eyes and think that, when God wills, the moment will come when I will be able to see him, not as in a mirror dimly, but ... face to face. Yes, ‘my heart yearns for God, the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?’ My friends, look at him, contemplate him, speak to him. We can do so right now. That's how we strive to live. It is part of our existence. We define our vocation as contemplative, because we strive to see God in all earthly things: in people, in events, in big things and little things, in what pleases us and in what we regard as painful. My children, renew your resolution to live in God's presence always, each one of you in your own way. It's not for me to dictate your prayer. But I can overcome my embarrassment and show you something of how I speak to Jesus."
We contemplate Jesus, passing through Mary and Joseph.
“‘Through the mystery of the Word Incarnate, the light of your glory has shone anew upon the eyes of our minds, so that, in contemplating God made visible, we may be drawn by him to the love of things invisible.’ Let us all contemplate him lovingly. Where I come from, they sometimes say: ‘See how that person contemplates!’ They may be referring to a mother with a child in her arms, or to a young man looking at his future wife, or to a woman watching over her sick husband - to pure and noble human affection. That's how we should contemplate as we relive the Savior's coming. We begin by going to his all-pure, ever-virgin Mother, praising her and repeatedly telling her that we love her. Especially now when, as never before, those who should defend and bless God's Mother are spreading so many absurd and horrible things about her."
Les us resolve to revive our devotion to Mary; she always leads us to Jesus.
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