Happy Birthday, Jesus!!!
December
23, 2025
Happy
Birthday, Jesus!!!
Wishing you and your family a Blessed Christmas and a Peaceful New Year 2026!!!
Hello! How is each
and every one? We are a day away from
the birth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. We have been looking forward to his
coming with joyful anticipation. Let
that joyful hope intensify in our hearts as we go about the day doing
everything with acts of faith and love. We pray for peace in the hearts and
minds of each and every one all over the world.
For the ignorant, that they may be given the grace to seek the truth, to
find it, and to live by the truth; for the atheists, communists, socialists,
Marxists, totalitarians who do not believe in God, who do not like to believe
in Him, who want to take his place in controlling the world, that they may be
given the gift of faith that will move them to seek God, to find God, to know
Him and His teachings and live accordingly; for the evildoers possessed by the
Devil, that the good seed in their hearts no matter how little remains, may be
rekindled, reactivated, revived, renewed to the greatest degree that will
dispossess them of the devil and the evil tendencies overwhelming them; for the
envious that they may be given purity of eyes, mind and heart to see what is
true, good and beautiful and appreciate it, admire it, imitate it, and
cultivate it in their own person. We
pray for each one of these people because we want to have the same sentiments
of Jesus Christ on the Cross, that is, to redeem all of us so that we may be
happy even in this life and later on in His Kingdom in Heaven.
I was working on today’s scheduled post when all of a sudden
I was inspired to reschedule it to next week.
Meantime, let us take a break and enjoy greeting one another a Happy Christmas
filled with blessings from the child Jesus, Mary and Joseph and a most Peaceful
New Year 2026 with the Holy Family and the Three Kings!!!
Allow me to share with you the Christmas greeting from the
Prelate of Opus Dei, Msgr. Fernando Ocariz:
Christmas Greeting from the
Prelate of Opus Dei (2025)
“We have a great mission: to
transmit true peace, which is Jesus Christ.” With these words, Monsignor
Fernando Ocáriz invites us to live Christmas by sharing the immense and
extraordinary message of the Gospel: the love of God who becomes small in order
to come very close to each person.
Among the many texts about
Christmas, especially from the Gospel, upon which we have often meditated, the
one that comes to mind now, as I wish you all a happy Christmas, is the angels’
greeting: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on
whom his favor rests.”
Peace to those who on whom his favor
rests, because although the Lord loves everyone, we all need to welcome God’s
love. That is when true peace comes.
Christ is our peace! We must
proclaim this joyfully, because we have the peace that the world needs.
Even though we are very small, with
so many faults and limitations, we have the great source of peace, which is
Jesus Christ.
We are going to contemplate Him in a
special way at Christmas, as we do every year: a God who becomes small so that
we might find it easier, if I can put it that way, to come close to Him; not
feeling excessive awe, so to speak, because the Lord makes Himself very
accessible to us.
We must recognise the lack of peace
in the world. Saint Josemaría used to say, as many of you will remember, that
there is a lack of peace in the world because there is a lack of peace in
consciences.
True peace comes from people’s
hearts. In this sense, we have a great mission: to transmit peace, to give
peace, to be sowers of peace and joy.
And how are we going to do this? How
are we going to transmit peace? Peace is Christ. He told us, “I am peace.”
And Saint Paul says, “He is our peace.” It is by giving Jesus Christ, by
sharing everything that forms the immense, extraordinary message of the Gospel,
of God’s love.
As I reminded you at the
beginning, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on
whom his favour rests.” But the Lord is willing to give that peace to everyone;
He only needs our free response.
For this reason, without ignoring
the great difficulties in the world, we must not allow ourselves to fall into
discouragement or pessimism. If God is with us, even though we are little, we
will always, together with the whole Church, be able to spread this true peace,
which is Jesus Christ.
We all know this very well,
but Christmas is an opportunity to reflect on it more deeply, to make it
part of our own lives.
A very happy New Year as well! We
ask the Lord to always accompany us, because we are weak. We always need the
Lord’s support, the Lord’s help.
Happy Christmas!
This year the Solemnity of the Holy Family will be celebrated on Sunday, the 28th, also the Feast day of the Holy Innocents. Following is an article in opusdei.org on these days of the Christmas Season.
Some reflections that can assist our prayer during these days of
the Christmas season. The topics are: God's plan for the family; cradle of all
gifts; our first apostolate.
THE CHILD'S father and mother were amazed at
what was said about him (Lk 2:33).
We are also amazed that God became a child and needed a family. In the family,
we learn to let ourselves be loved, helped, and forgiven. We are loved and
cared for long before we are aware of it. We will never be able to pay for that
love, and the cycle continues generation after generation. It is not a burden
that overwhelms us but a reality that fills us with gratitude and urges us to reciprocate.
Thank you, Lord, for the family you have given each of us!
With your whole heart honor your father; your mother's birth pangs do not forget. Remember, of these parents you were born; what can you give them for all they gave you? (Sir 7:27-28), Sacred Scripture says. We owe a debt of gratitude to those who have cared for us before we could even thank them. It is only right that our parents should share in our happiness. Very often, they are the ones who plant the seeds of faith and piety in our lives.
St. Josemaría highlights each family's irreplaceable mission: "When I think of Christian homes, I like to imagine them as being full of the light and joy that were in the home of the holy family. The message of Christmas is heard in all its forcefulness: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will.' 'And may the peace of Christ triumph in your hearts,' writes the Apostle. It is a peace that comes from knowing that our Father God loves us, and that we are made one with Christ. It results from being under the protection of the Virgin, our Lady, and assisted by St Joseph. This is the great light that illuminates our lives. In the midst of difficulties and of our own personal failings, it encourages us to keep up our effort" (St. Josemaría, Christ is Passing By, 22).
WHAT IS truly important in our lives is knowing that we are
loved and learning how to love. This happens first of all within our own
families. But, at the same time, our families are not perfect. We are all
flawed. That is why we can now ask Jesus, Mary, and Joseph to intercede for all
families in difficulty.
This first social circle could be called the cradle of all
gifts. There we feel blessed and affirmed for who we are and discover that our
life is also a gift to others. It is written in our hearts that we are all
children. Some are also fathers or mothers, and some have brothers or
sisters... but we are all sons or daughters. Life has been given to us; someone
is waiting for us. Even in the most challenging situations, our condition as
children is so powerful that it usually continues to be a privileged path to
God the Father.
"The Western world considers Christmas a
family celebration. Being together and exchanging gifts emphasizes the strong
desire for reciprocal communion and sheds light on the highest values of the
family institution. This is shown by the communion of love between persons
based on truth, on love, on the indissoluble fidelity of husband and wife and
on openness to the gift of life. In the light of Christmas, the family sees its
vocation as a community of shared plans, solidarity, forgiveness and faith,
where individuals do not lose their identity, but contribute with their own
specific gifts to the growth of all. This is what occurred in the Holy Family,
presented by faith as the first model for families enlightened by Christ" (John
Paul II, General Audience, 29 December 1999).
IN
BETHLEHEM, God became one of us. He wants to experience our history, our
journey, and our freedom. "The family is also a sign of Christ. It
manifests the closeness of God who is a part of every human life, since he became
one with us through his incarnation, death and resurrection" (Pope
Francis, Apostolic exhortation Amoris laetitia, 161).
The power of the family is so great that
it fills us with hope. The transformative and healing power of love in the
family can overcome all difficulties, no matter how great they may seem. Our
families are the place God chooses to give us all his gifts: first, life, and
with it, faith, vocation, a name, education, temperament, language, and a place
to belong. It is an incredible challenge and the reason St. John Paul II chose
to include an invocation to the Queen of the Family in the litany of the
Rosary. Since then, millions of voices and hearts have asked our Lady to
protect families around the world, that they may all be the cradle from which
humanity is continually renewed.
Our parents and siblings are our own flesh and blood, and our apostolic concern naturally begins with them. The apostolate of Christ's first disciples began thus. Andrew first found his own brother Simon and told him, 'We have found the Messiah' (which is translated Anointed). Then he brought him to Jesus (Jn 1:41-42). And John, who, with Andrew, came to our Lord first, shared his discovery with his brother James and prepared him to receive Jesus' call when he found him working with the nets. It is only logical that St. Josemaría would call Moses' commandment about honoring one's family a most sweet precept.
Like Mary and Joseph, we want to be filled with admiration. In Bethlehem, God came down to each family, especially those that are most wounded, to heal, accompany, and discover with us the decisive role he has planned for each child and for the infant Jesus.
In the Collect Prayer of the Mass today we pray: O God, who were pleased to give us the shining example of the Holy Family, graciously grant that we may imitate them in practicing the virtues of family life and in the bonds of charity and so, in the joy of your house, delight one day in eternal rewards. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
Meditations: 28 December, The Holy Innocents
Some
reflections that can assist our prayer during these days of the Christmas
season. The topics are: the Child Jesus is born amid suffering; Saint Joseph
acts with faith and realism; the Holy Innocents and their mothers' pain.
RISE, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and
remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to
destroy him (Mt 2:13). With
these brief words, the angel awakens Joseph in order to save the life of the
Child Jesus. Perhaps we have been struck by the fact that this time there are
no words of comfort: fear not; this time there are truly reasons to
fear because what is about to happen is dramatic. A king, out of envy and fear,
seeks the Child to kill him. Jesus has mortal enemies while still just an
infant.
But Joseph doesn’t let himself be overcome by fear. He gently wakes up Mary. Yesterday they enjoyed so much the visit of the Magi. The aroma of incense and myrrh is still strong in the house. And yet now they have to flee quickly, to leave without attracting attention.
We can learn from the striking contrast in this Gospel
scene, never losing sight of the suffering amid which God wanted to become a
Child. “To contemplate the manger also means to contemplate this cry of pain,
to open our eyes and ears to what is going on around us, and to let our hearts
be attentive and open to the pain of our neighbors, especially where children
are involved. It also means realizing that that sad chapter in history is still
being written today. To contemplate the manger in isolation from the world
around us would make Christmas into a lovely story that inspires warm feelings
but robs us of the creative power of the Good News that the Incarnate Word
wants to give us. The temptation is real” (Francis,
Letter to Bishops on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, 28 December 2016).
IN THE HEART of Mary, the prophecy of Simeon begins to make itself felt: a sword will pierce through your own soul also (Lk 2:35). The mother of Christ is becoming used to leaving right away, without unnecessary delays. Now there is no time even to say goodbye. Why is Jesus a threat to Herod? Mary and Joseph may not understand it, but they don’t try to judge the divine plans. They don’t rebel. Before leaving they pray for God’s protection and blessing on this new journey. The difficulties don’t daunt them, although they fear for the Child’s life.
Joseph perhaps is once again assailed by the same uncertainty as on previous occasions: when facing Mary's pregnancy, when they have to leave for Bethlehem a few days before the Child’s birth, the lack of room in the inn and now the need to flee in the middle of the night. Saint Josemaría was impressed by Joseph’s reaction: “Have you noticed what a man of faith he is? … How readily he obeys! Take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, the divine messenger commands him. And he does it. He believes in the work of the Holy Spirit!” (Saint Josemaria, In Dialogue with the Lord, meditation “Saint Joseph, our Father and Lord,” no. 3). Jesus’ earthly father has accepted his mission and knows that a minute’s delay can be harmful. He sees Mary’s complete trust in God and in himself, and decides to leave in the middle of the night.
“Saint Joseph was the first to be charged with protecting the joy of salvation. Faced with the atrocious crimes that were taking place, Saint Joseph – the model of an obedient and loyal man – was capable of recognizing God’s voice and the mission entrusted to him by the Father. Because he was able to hear God’s voice, and was docile to his will, Joseph became more conscious of what was going on around him and was able to interpret these events realistically ... Like Joseph, we need the courage to respond to this reality, to arise and take it firmly in hand” (Francis, Letter to Bishops on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, 28 December 2016).
BY HEROD’S ORDER, a platoon of soldiers leaves Jerusalem to kill all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men (Mt 2:16). The entire city of David is filled with the cries of the innocent children and their mothers. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more” (Mt 2:17-18).
These children have given their lives for Jesus (Cf. Saint Augustine, Sermon 373 on the Epiphany).
They die without even knowing that they die. Their mothers see their innocent lives cut short and they don’t know why. There is apparently no explanation for this event; it presents the seemingly useless and unjust suffering of children who seal with their own lives the truth that they do not yet know. Mary’s heart embraces these mothers broken by pain, without enough tears to bewail so much suffering. She doesn’t understand it, but she knows that it has a meaning and possibly begins to realize that God’s plans will not go ahead without great sacrifice.
Human language is speechless in the face of such suffering. Mary will keep this event in her heart her whole life. Those Holy Innocents gave witness to Christ, “non loquendo sed moriendo,” (Collect of the Mass) not by speaking but by dying, as first fruits for God and the Lamb (Rev 14:4). Perhaps after her own Son had died Mary spoke with some of those women from Bethlehem. It would have been impossible to console them, but surely she would have had words to calm and cure those hearts. She knew that the lives of those Holy Innocents had now been united with that of her divine Son.
I challenge you and myself to make precious quiet moments of conversation with our Father God and reflect on the above articles during these days following the birth of the child Jesus in preparation for the New Year 2026 when on the first day of the year we will be celebrating the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God. Wow!!! I can already imagine how the New Year will be with all its blessings of Love, Joy and Peace from the Holy Family. The blessings are already there, you and I just need to participate freely with love and active response to the graces abounding around us.
See you in the next post, “May tomorrow be a perfect day; may you find love and laughter along the way; may God keep you in his tender care; ‘til He brings us together again.”
Affectionately,
Guadalupinky
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