JESUS SAVIOR

JESUS SAVIOR – 4^th Sunday of Advent, Year A

            The Good News of the first Christmas nineteen hundred and twenty-five years ago was that the Eternal Son of God became human. Jesus was born of the virgin Mary fulfilling a prophecy spoken through Isaiah. “…the Lord Himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel”, which means “God is with us”.

            The entrance of the Savior into the world created problems for Joseph, the husband of Mary. It was simply explained by the angel of the Lord. “For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”

            What wonderful good news for us! God is with us in Jesus and saves us from our sins. When people experience some great saving event through another person, they remain forever grateful toward that person. They never do harm to them and seek only their good. The realization of Jesus as our Savior is a grace that affects the way we live. “The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ…”

            Having been offered salvation and freedom from sin in Christ, and eternal life, it’s foolish not to live the life of Christ. Is someone rescued us from certain drowning, we would be foolish to put ourselves in danger again. If someone rescued us from a burning building, we would be foolish to go back into the fire. If someone gave us one of their organs, and it meant we could live again, we would be forever grateful to them.

            If someone brought us into the life of Christ and we were baptized, and Jesus was born again in us by the gift of the Holy Spirit, and we were freed from original and personal sin, we would be foolish to live against God, to ignore so great a saving action in our life by not keeping the commandments and risking the loss of our soul and life with God. We have to keep remembering and learning again how the Lord has saved us, and continues to save us. He “…gave Himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people as His own, eager to do what is good”.

            When people are saved, or rescued, or delivered naturally in some way, such as being found after being lost in the woods or in the mountains, or having air brought to them when they couldn’t breathe from an accident, they realize if that person hadn’t come to them, they would be dead. They know from experience that they were saved and they didn’t save themselves. When people realize that without Christ, there is no way to be saved from sin, or raised to eternal life, they know Jesus is their Savior.

            What wonderful good news for us who know that without Jesus, no matter what we do, we are dead spiritually, and lost eternally as Paul proclaims to us. “When the kindness and generous love of God our Savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done, but because of His mercy, He saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit…” It is by the Holy Spirit that Jesus is reborn in our hearts “…whom He richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by His grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life”.

            What an important part of the Christmas Gospel message! Those who realize and are responding to God’s offer of salvation in Christ, know that Jesus’ birth over two thousand years ago as Savior, and His rebirth in the hearts of people today are saving events. Jesus’ very name means Savior. “…the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth”, and our hope for glory.

            Christmas is a joyful and peaceful time spiritually for those placing faith in Jesus for their life with God here on earth and in eternity. With Mary, the mother of the Savior and the mother of the Church, reflect and treasure the Savior. “…we saw His glory…”

Reflection from Divine Mercy #778

“Oh, how happy is the soul who already here on earth enjoys His special favors! And of such are the little and humble souls.”