Prayer of the Day

Third Sunday of Advent

December 13th, 2015

The Liturgy to-day invites us to rediscover the true meaning of Christian joy.  In many Churches to-day,  including St. Peter’s in Rome,  children bring their crib figures to have them blessed before they are placed in the family crib.  According to tradition the first crib was made by St. Francis who recreated a live presentation of the nativity scene so that he and others could contemplate the Holy Family in the stable of Bethlehem.   It is here we learn the true meaning of joy.  Mary and Joseph were certainly not blessed materially but their joy was deep because they loved  one another and they knew the Babe in the manger was the greatest gift they could have received from God.

Christian joy is not the same as feeling in a good mood all the time.  Rather it is a deep contentment because we know we are in the hands of a loving Father who desires only what is good for us.   This joy makes us grateful.  A joyful person rarely complains but has the prayer; “Thanks be to God” constantly on their lips.  As we continue our Advent journey let us “Draw water with joy from the wells of salvation.” (Isaiah 12 : 6)