DIVINE CALL CENTRE, MULKI

EMMANUEL CHRISTMAS

My loving Christmas greetings to all the readers of Divine Inspiration! “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, God is with us” (Mat 1:23). How wonderful our God is. He has given us a child who is our God! “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2Cor 9:15). Infant Jesus in St. Antony’s hands: I had an unusual query among the innumerable prayer requests for various needs. In this letter a good Christian had asked me a question: How could St. Antony hold Infant Jesus in his arms when he was born much after Jesus in 1195 AD? St. Antony of Padua is depicted holding Infant Jesus in his hands for various reasons. According to one legend, there was a Count of Tiso who had a castle near Padua, Italy. On the grounds of the castle the count had provided a chapel for Francis and his companions. In his later years Antony often went there and spent hours in prayer. One night, the little Chapel was suddenly filled up with Divine light. Jesus appeared to Anthony in the form of a small baby. Passing by the hermitage, the count saw the light shining emanating the room and St. Anthony holding and communicating with Jesus. The count fell on his knees seeing this celestial sight. And when the vision ended, Antony saw the count kneeling at the open door. Anthony urged Count Tiso not to reveal what he had seen until after his death. Divine Poverty: “For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). God becomes a vulnerable child clothed in swaddling clothes sleeping a cowshed manger. The poverty of God made a strong impression on the followers of St. Francis of Assisi. Holding Infant Jesus in the arms also means that St. Antony embraced the Lord in Poverty because the Lord made Himself poor for us in this world. Divine Word: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:1.14). Another meaningful way to understand the presence of the Infant Jesus in the arms of St. Anthony is to realize that Anthony was a zealous preacher of the gospel, a brilliant communicator of the Incarnate Word. He often emphasized the mystery of the Incarnation. Infant Jesus in our arms: Like St. Anthony, we can also lovingly carry Infant Jesus on our life journey. “… For God all things are possible” (Mat 19:26). When you request God with faith like St. Francis of Assisi and St. Antony of Padua, you will also experience Infant Jesus appearing in the crib of your heart. Then hold Him up to the world by embracing His Poverty and proclaiming His Word. The imagery inspires us to make our Christmas cribs real and purchased from the city malls and bazaars. St. Paul preaches this Christmas, “Let the same mind be in you that was*in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, ... but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness... he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even death on a cross” (Phil 2:5-8).This imagery is not fictitious or imaginary. Two thousand years ago, when Virgin Mary said ‘YES’ to God, she becomes the tabernacle of the Word Incarnate. When we also yes to Him, He accompanies us like a vulnerable infant on our life’s journey. Theresa of Child Jesus: When Theresa was fourteen years old, she requested for the Divine experience on the eve of 1886 Christmas. “On that blessed night ... Jesus, who saw fit to make Himself a child out of love for me, saw fit to have me come forth from the swaddling clothes and imperfections of childhood” (The Story of a Soul).How Theresa could always experience the Christmas joy in her life? “I am Theresa of the Infant Jesus. I sought not the riches of this world, but hid myself with poverty of body but richness of spirit. I found in my obscurity a far greater glory in the light from Heaven.”Follow my little way. Join me here in this glorious Kingdom. How worthless the things of the world when placed next to the glories of Heaven.” (St. Theresa). Year of Faith: In the Year of Faith, let us remember that the door of faith (Porta Fidei) is always open to us as proclaimed by our beloved Pope Benedict XVI. God loved us and became an infant for us. What else He would withhold from us if we ask Him in faith. “He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?” (Rom 8:32). Accordingly, it is certain that God gives us not only the salvation of the soul but also, all the needs of our life in this world. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). God shows His unparalleled love to become an Infant. So let us first receive the salvation of our souls that our Heavenly Father has given us at first Christmas night. Let us open wide our hearts to welcome Infant Jesus and make Him dwell in our hearts. Then He will give all the other requirements that we have and keep us safe without lacking anything. These days, two persons shared with me some marvelous divine experiences of their lives. I believe they real Christmas. God is born: One of them is Prakash who thought he is the most fortunate person in the world when he stumbled upon a very lucrative business in Mumbai. Within two years he could have his own two bed room residential flat in the suburbs. His mother came up with a marriage proposal with a very beautiful and intelligent lady. After three years of marriage his beloved wife gave birth to lovely twin daughters. He started thinking he is the happiest man on earth. Within a few months doctors told him that one of his daughters has a serious heart ailment and there is only little chance of her survival. His ordeals started. During many days in the hospital and especially when the little baby was taken inside the operation theatre, he could only weep uncontrollably. First time he found the need to pray. He called the Divine Call Retreat Centre and was pleading with God. The girl survived and Prakash says, “God also performed surgery of my heart.” Now he started going to Church regularly and God became a living God to him. This is a Christmas story; God is born into the life of Prakash! God is Emmanuel: Suresh D’Silva had a profitable partnership firm. One day he found that his partner is cheating him. First he was skimming off a little amount of money, but later much more. This really upset him and he decided to kill him. Suresh eagerly waited for an opportunity to solve the problem by murdering his partner. He meticulously planned his moves. He decided to puncture the wheels of his partner’s motor bike with iron nails. When he topples over he had decided to finish him off by hitting his head with a big stone. Armed with weapons, I drove to the spot. As he reached the spot, suddenly the Word of God, he had heard during a Saturday prayer convention, flashed across his mind, “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow” (Gal 6:7). With awe, he realized that God was aware of his plot to kill his partner. Fear gripped his heart. He went and did a good confession during the Saturday convention and pleaded for mercy. Then he met his partner and reconciled with him. “This was a Christmas day in my life. Infant Jesus is born in my life.”, says Suresh. May God give each and every one of us a very divine Christmas this time! May the smile of Infant Jesus fill your heart and give you joy, good health, peace and prosperity! Emmanuel Christmas!