To Live Jesus

Dec 23

“The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Every year Christmas reminds us that God chose to become one with us, one like us in all things but sin when God took flesh in Jesus Christ. I heard a homily given by Fr. Donald Goergen, OP, in which he said saints are people who show Jesus in their day and time as Jesus showed us the face of God in His. Christmas celebrates that showing of God’s face in Jesus.

It is part of our Salesian tradition that we are to “Live Jesus” so clearly that when people meet us, they meet Jesus still walking on the face of the earth. We celebrate in these Christmas Days, that God is with us so that people see Christ and hear His voice in us. Mother de Sales de Chappuis, VHM, put it this way:

“At the coming of the Savior, let us just see with what virtues we shall go forth to meet Him, what virtues we shall present to Him, when we kneel to adore Him. Meekness and humility are His chosen virtues, He tells us to learn them of Him, we shall be pleasing to Him, not by austerity of life, not by great actions, not by an extraordinary manner of acting, but by meekness and humility, by meekness of heart towards our neighbor, by humility towards God, our neighbor and ourselves” (Conference).

We are for our day and time what Jesus was for His. That is an awesome gift and responsibility. It means that we make a serious commitment to live our Baptism. In Baptism, we put on Christ. In Baptism, we received the Light of Christ taken from the Easter Candle. We were told to keep that light burning brightly. What a great gift to carry the Christ-light. What a challenge to keep that light burning brightly.

John the Baptist pointed the way to the Lamb of God, to Jesus. John’s voice cried out in the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord. We also point the way to Jesus. We also cry out in a society that can often feel like a wilderness. In a world that experiences division, violence, misplaced anger and frustration, we are too called to be a light in that darkness and cry out with the voice of Jesus Christ. We sing: “Joy to the world, the Lord is come and is now seen through us!”

How do we point the way? We are meek and humble. Being meek isn’t the same as being milquetoast. It takes strength to be meek. It takes strength to not be the center of attention and point the way to Christ by being for our day and time what He was for His. It takes courage to be humble. True humility recognizes that we walk on two feet: one foot that of our strengths and gifts, and the other foot that of our sins and character defects. Our meekness admits our need for Jesus Christ. Our humility helps us walk in Christ’s footsteps.

How do we “Live Jesus”? We treat others like Jesus did in His day. We speak the truth, gently yet firmly. We offer healing and forgiveness to others, especially those for whom these holidays are difficult. We listen to the needs of our sisters and brothers and the needs of the earth that we call home. Mother de Sales de Chappuis, VHM, noted that we do these things “not by an extraordinary manner of acting,” but by the way we do the ordinary things of life extraordinarily well. In other words we do today what Jesus did in his day. We ask “What did Jesus do?” instead of asking “What would Jesus do?” We know what He did. We guess at what He would do.

Because we belong to Jesus, we are saints in the making. We do for our day and time what Jesus did for His. We live his virtues of meekness and humility. Yes, it can be challenging to do what Jesus did, but it is not impossible. Take some time with Christ during these days.

Look at your life. Look at the world. Where can we make His coming known?

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us and continues to become flesh in you and in me. “Live Jesus, Be for our day and time what He was for His and we’ll have reason to sing “Joy to the world, the Lord is come and is now seen through us.” Sing! Rejoice! Be hopeful as we begin a Holy Year of Hope. Help the One whose coming we celebrate come to earth again today and be a saint-in-the-making. May God be praised.