Tuesday December 22nd: Joyful Anticipation of the Messiah
December 21, 2020
Thursday December 24th: A promise is a promise!
December 22, 2020

Wednesday December 23rd: God with us

“His power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God.

Luke 1:57-66

This reading always triggers the memory of our first-born on 23 December. After 5 years the Lord was gracious to us and many people were happy for us. The naming was special as we were doing the gospel reflections for Catholic News that month. So, Jon -Michel was named after John – God is gracious, and Michel – priest and mentor to me and our family. God has continued to bless us as a family with three more children in succession.

Every Christmas is a time to treasure in our hearts the deep awareness of God’s gift of his son Jesus to the world, Emmanuel – God is with us. As co-creators, we as parents have the great responsibility to grow our children in the ways and values of righteousness – justice, peace, humility. Before my children I was like Zechariah, without the power of speech. Now I speak. I can name my children, listen to them, understand them, teach them, be there for them, love them, treasure them in my heart and pray that the Lord is with them.