DAILY MEDITATIONS # 20, Friday 16.12.11

DAILY MEDITATIONS  # 20, Friday 16.12.11

JOHN 5:33-36

The works that the Father gave me to accomplish,
these works that I perform testify on my behalf
that the Father has sent me."

Isaiah 56:1

Observe what is right, do what is just;
for my salvation is about to come,
my justice, about to be revealed.
Blessed is the man who does this,
the son of man who holds to it;

John was a prophet who was sent to witness to Christ and show us the way to God. Jesus was God himself who was sent by God the Father to redeem us from our sins and to reconcile us to God. Jesus by dying and rising from the dead exchanged his holiness for our unholiness and made us righteous persons before God. We did not become righteous before God by virtue of our good deeds  but on the other hand the righteousness of Christ was put upon us. It is like a beggar and a King , both good friends who were invited to a party. The beggar hesitated to enter the party hall because of his filthy rags and therefore his friend the king at that moment clothes him with his own royal robes while he clothes himself with the rags of the beggar  just to make his friend happy. At least in this story the beggar was the king's friend, but we on the other hand were enemies of God because of our sinning against God and our neighbor and yet God chose to die for us out of his infinite love.This is really fantastic and yet  true. This is the Good News Christ came to preach and showed it by his good works and finally proved his message by dying for us on the cross. This is the  ' justice ' of God as mentioned in the first reading in Isaiah. Like the beggar we too have gained entrance into heaven by believing what Christ has done for us. When we see the tiny infant in the manger at Bethlehem on Christmas Day, we also see His cross and His resurrection together with our eternal salvation. The good life that we now live after being saved is lived out of gratitude for God, in the power of the risen Christ.This is the reason for all of our Christmas celebrations.Therefore in this season we are called upon to share this good news with all those who feel hopeless and helpless and are in need of spiritual and material assistance.

God Bless.