Engulfed by God’s Love

The Octave Day of Christmas

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

By Beth DeCristofaro

The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.  When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. …  And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. (Luke 2:16-17, 19)

Piety

Dear God,
On this day I ask You to grant this request…
May I know who I am and what I am,
Every moment of every day.
May I be a catalyst for light and love,
And bring inspiration to those whose eyes I meet.
May I have the strength to stand tall in the face of conflict,
And the courage to speak my voice, even when I’m scared.
May I have the humility to follow my heart,
And the passion to live my soul’s desires.
May I seek to know the highest truth
And dismiss the gravitational pull of my lower self.
May I embrace and love the totality of myself…
My darkness as well as my light.
May I be brave enough to hear my heart…
To let it soften so that I may gracefully
Choose faith over fear.
Today is my day to surrender anything that stands
Between the sacredness of my humanity and my divinity.
May I be drenched in my Holiness
And engulfed by Your love.
May all else melt away.
And so it is.

“Drenched in Holiness Prayer: Prayer for a New Year”, Xavier University

Study

We have tiny story snippets from the lives of the Holy Family.  While Mary and Joseph found themselves at Creation’s mighty crescendo, nurturing the mortal life of the living Word, they also remained in the day-to-day life of a poor, faith-filled family.  Mary and Joseph had to focus on surviving in an oppressive regime all the while face-to-face with the sure knowledge that God was with them, swaddled and vulnerable.  Mary ponders the mystery, confident in the surrender she gave to God.  She is engulfed in God’s plan. 

None of us know the fullness of the dark and the light of our lives.  Certainly Mary and Joseph took on a mission which they might have suspected would be very weighty.  We, along with the Holy Family, can accept our yokes “on this day,” each day.  The Christ Child brought God’s love and grace to humanity in a new, immediate way.  May we reflect, pray and work so that whatsoever obstructs Child’s presence within each one of us melts away.

Action

Reflect on the breathtaking truth of the Christ Child and consider how you might be a catalyst for light and love in the New Year.  Pray that what makes you opaque to the light and a barrier to love be revealed to you by God and that you have the courage to be engulfed by Divine love and to reflect God to the world.

Many Blessings in the New Year!