Mary Grace is one of the dozen or so babies in Grace to Be Born, our crisis shelter for pregnant women. When I took my four-year-old daughter there to play with the babies, dark-skinned and curly-haired Mary Grace captured her heart. Since then, my daughter has been repeatedly asking me to take her to the orphanage so she can visit her.

       “Mama, when I’m big and I get married, I will get Mary Grace and I’ll take care of her,” she often tells me. I smile and agree with her, even if I want to tell her that Mary Grace will be grown up too by then.

       But I’m sure there will be many more Mary Graces that my daughter can take care of when she’s old enough.

       Since the shelter opened in 2009, over 170 babies have been saved from abortion, a life on the streets or white slavery. Some of these babies were born from incest by mothers as young as 12.

       It’s heartbreaking just listening to the stories of each of the babies and their mothers. But thanks to Grace to Be Born, God’s face shines upon these little ones who would have been lost. As He uses people as His channel of love, these women and babies experience God’s love and salvation. Rissa Singson-Kawpeng (justbreatherissa@gmail.com)

Reflection: Do we remember only the least, the last and the lost during Christmas? Let our charity be a year-round affair.

Lord, how can I bless the last, the least and the lost? Use me, Jesus.

St. Lucy, virgin and martyr, pray for us.

Elijah is seen as the greatest of the ancient prophets. He is still regaled nearly a thousand years after his ministry at the time of Jesus. We still remember him more than 2,000 years after that. Do the prophets of today compare with Elijah and Jesus? What makes you think that someone is truly a prophet? Do your criteria fit with the lives and ministry of Elijah and Jesus?

1 In those days, like a fire there appeared the prophet whose words were as a flaming furnace. 2 Their staff of bread he shattered, in his zeal he reduced them to straits; 3 by the Lord’s word he shut up the heavens and three times brought down fire. 4 How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! Whose glory is equal to yours? 9 You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses. 10 You are destined, it is written, in time to come to put an end to wrath before the day of the Lord, to turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons, and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob. 11 Blessed is he who shall have seen you and who falls asleep in your friendship.

R: Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

2 O shepherd of Israel, hearken, from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth. 3 Rouse your power. 15 Once again, O Lord of hosts, look down from heaven, and see; take care of this vine, 16 and protect what your right hand has planted, the son of man whom you yourself made strong. (R) 18 May your help be with the man of your right hand, with the son of man whom you yourself made strong. 19 Then we will no more withdraw from you; give us new life, and we will call upon your name. (R)

It would be a shame if we failed to recognize a prophet when we saw one. It would be a shame if we were that blind. However, I tend to think that humanity has missed many opportunities to make a lot more of the words of many prophetic men and women down through the ages. Perhaps sometimes it is the prophet’s fault as he did not persevere long enough in his ministry.

Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

9 As they were coming down from the mountain, 10 the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; 12 but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.”13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

think:  It would be a shame if we failed to recognize a prophet when we saw one.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Hosea 1-5

COMMITMENT IS KINDRED TO SACRIFICE

A man was bragging about how great his grandfather was because he knew the exact time, day and the year that he was going to die. “Wow, that’s incredible. How did he know all of that?” asked his friend. He said, “His prosecuting judge told him.”

       Shakespeare is credited to have written, “We are born to die.” Thomas Fuller, a 17th century British clergyman and a writer, once said, “Birth is the beginning of death.” It looks out of line that during the Advent season, where the world is excitedly waiting for a birth, the Gospel invites us to reflect on Jesus predicting His impending passion. It may sound morbid but this is the point that Jesus is trying to make. He was born to die on the cross for us. He knew that it was difficult for His disciples to accept His death. Thus, when they asked Him about Elijah, He took this as an opportunity to emphasize the necessity of His passion and death. Jesus referred to John the Baptist as the one who took the prophetic role of Elijah, calling for repentance and pointing the people to God. But John was rejected by the scribes and executed by Herod. Jesus predicts that, like John, He would also experience the same kind of hostility. “The Son of Man must also suffer in their hands.” However, it is only through His death that He can be glorified and bring about the salvation of humankind.

       Jesus was born to die. To understand the true meaning of Christmas, we must look at it through the lens of Good Friday. Otherwise, Christmas will be reduced to nothing but a sentimental story of a cute baby born under challenging circumstances. Jesus will be born in a manger. A manger is where animals feed. This is very prophetic. The Baby born on Christmas day will one day offer His body for the life of the world.

       We are born to die as well, but we die not only in the sense of the end of our natural life. Dying is also offering our lives in service to God and neighbor. Dying is giving our bodies as bread, broken and shared, for the other. Our commitment to the Lord will always entail sacrifice. Fr. Joel Jason

REFLECTION QUESTION: This Christmas, make a list, check it twice, and make sure it includes some sacrifice.

Teach me and help me to die to myself, dear Lord. Grant me the grace to be willing to sacrifice my needs and wants for the good of others.