30 December 2008

The Feast of our Lord in the Temple

Just a few days to go in the Octave of Christmas, and today our Liturgy and Readings focus on the finding of our Lord in the Temple.

From a Sermon of Bernard of Clairvaux.

"The goodness and humanity of God our Savior have appeared in our midst." We thank God for the many consolations he has given us during our pilgrimage here on earth. Before the Son of God became man his goodness was hidden, for God's mercy is eternal, but how could such goodness be recognized? It was promised, but it was not experienced, and as a result few believed in it. "Often and in many ways the Lord used to speak through the prophets." Among other things, God said: "I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction." But how did men respond, thinking thoughts of affliction and knowing nothing of peace? They said: "Peace, peace, there is no peace." This response made the angels of peace weep bitterly, saying "Lord, who has believed our message?" But now men believe because they see with their own eyes, and because God's testimony has now become even more credible. He has gone so far as to "pitch his tent in the sun" so even the dimmest eyes see him. 

Notice that peace is not promised but sent to us; it is no longer deferred, it is given; peacae is not prophesied but achieved. It is as if God the Father sent upon the earth a purse full of him mercy. This purse was burst open during the Lord's passion to pour forth its hidden contents-the price of our redemption. It was only a small purse, but it was very full. As Scripture says, "A little child has been given us us, but in him dwells all the fullness of the divine nature." The fullness of time brought with it the fullness of divinity. God's Son came in the flesh so that mortal men could see and recognize God's kindness. When God reveals his humanity, his goodness cannot possibly remain hidden. To show his kindness what more could he do beyond taking my human form? My humanity, I say, not Adam's-that is, not such as he had before the fall. 

How could he have shown his mercy more clearly than by taking on himself our condition? For our sake the Word of God becamae as grass. What better proof could he have given of his love? Scripture says, "Lord, what is man that you are mindful of him; why does your heart go out to him? The incarnation teaches us how much God cares for us and what he thinks and feels about us. We shoud stop thinking of our own sufferings and remember what he has suffered. Let us think of all the Lord has done for us, and then we shall realize how his goodness apppears through his humanity. The lesser he became through his human nature the greater was his goodness; the more he lowered himself for me, the dearer he is to me. "The goodness and humanity of God our Savior have appeared" says the Apostle. 

Truly great and manifest are the goodness and humanity of God.  He has given us a most wonderful proof of his goodness by adding humanity to his own divine nature.

0 comments:

All original material (C) 2007-2010 by Father Robert Lyons.

  © Blogger templates 'Neuronic' by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP