“THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND MADE DWELLING AMONG US”

original title: "NENO ALIFANYIKA MWILI NA AKAKAA KWETU"

Reflection Is 52, 7-10; Hb 1, 1-6; John 1, 1-18

       We are living a period of great joy and thanksgiving, that is, Christmas of the Lord. Everything seems to have more colour, more brightness and more meaning. That is the result of the presence of God among us. He assumes our context and invites us to learn from him so that we can live better. Let us thanks to God because he continues giving us opportunities for our renewal. The message of the birth of Jesus is message of great joy for all because the Saviour was born for all. Let us rejoice because God decided to bring salvation to us, building his dwelling among us. The salvation is work of God, but it happens in the world with the participation of the human being. Let us take as example Mary and Joseph. Like that, through the simplicity of the event and the people involved, God manifests his greatness. This concrete reality confirms an African proverb, which says, “Simple people performing simple things in simple places are able to change the world”. The big changes that our society needs should happen inside of each person. The new society will happen when each person recognises the need of changing himself/herself instead of trying to change others. 

      

         According to the first reading, after the experience of exile, the People of Israel live a new reality and rediscover his vocation as People of God. The meaning of his vocation is not in organizing vengeance against his enemies but in proclaiming good news, that is, news of peace. This good news is message of consolation that comes from God and leads the people to assume the commitment of cultivating new relationship with God and among themselves. This is a message of joy, which should be proclaimed to all, because the salvation is for all. As new People of God, we are heirs of this message with new meaning, i.e., to proclaim the salvation of God in Jesus Christ. Our feet are sign of our availability and passion for the sake of the kingdom of God. Everything that God does in our life needs to be proclaimed. The joy that is fruit of this action will be full in us if it is proclaimed to others. This process starts with the own God, who is the God of the Word. He created everything through the power of his word. Then, the second reading witnesses that he spook in the past through our ancestors, he speaks today and will continue speaking because this Word was and is always with him; this word is his Son Jesus Christ, who is the Mediator of the New and Eternal Covenant.   

         The Word of God that exists always is the own Son of God. He is the reason of everything that was made. This word was made flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, coming into the world full of grace and truth, revealing the face of God as a Father full of mercy. The Son Jesus made us sons of God and enlightened us with his light in order we should be witnesses of the light and of the truth like John the Baptist. Everything that God does, he does well and perfect because this is his way of acting. Then, “the Word became flesh and made dwelling among us”. In Jesus Christ, God is one of us. He is mercy who allows being met and touched, bringing a new proposal of life. For that, is not enough to recognise the mercy of God in Jesus; it is important also to allow oneself be touched by this mercy and being led by his message of love and peace. The birth of Jesus makes all people to become one only family. Truly, God reveals himself as the Neighbour, the Poor, the Rejected, inviting all of us to recognise the value of the small gestures and projects. Of course that the option of God embarrasses us, inviting us to think and act differently.      

The God Almighty becomes a child to depend totally on care and love of human being. It is the faith that lead us to recognise this child of Bethlehem in each child we meet in our daily life. Each of these children begs for our love. Let us think about those children who do not have the experience of love of the parents. Let us think also about those street-children, who do not have place to live. Let us think about that children who are used as soldier, being transformed in instruments of violence instead of being instruments of peace; let us think also about the children who are victims of sexual abuse and finally, the children who are forced to abandon their dreams because the critical economic situation. The child of Bethlehem is invitation so that we may promote a different reality in the life of these children.      

As we live in a society of consumption, that prevent us of focusing the essential in our lives, we should be attentive. Christmas is not consumption. It is feast of the revelation of the love of God, which transforms the heart of human being in dwelling of the true values. God loves us freely and generously, that is, without merit of our part. This experience lead us to do the same so that Christmas should not be a moment only in the year. Will be Christmas always if we learn how to love truly, putting more effort to build a more fraternal society with justice and dignity for the good of all.   

Fr Ndega