The prophet Isaiah mentions Christmas trees: the cedar and pine trees. These trees will miraculously grow in the desert and wasteland. These Christmas trees are trees of life arising in the midst of death, under impossible circumstances.
Besides the Isaiah tree, there is the Genesis Christmas tree. Traditionally, Christmas trees remind us of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden (Gn 2:17). Also, the trees were decorated with apples to remind us of the first sin. This tree was a tree of death which cuts us off from the tree of life (Gn 3:22). Finally, Acts of the Apostles refers to the tree of Calvary (Acts 13:29). The Acts tree is Jesus' cross. This tree, as the tree of Christ's death, is the tree of eternal life.
What does your Christmas tree and your life stand for? Life or death? Salvation or sin? Victory or defeat? Calvary or Eden? Two weeks from today is Christmas Eve. "Prepare the way of the Lord" (Is 40:3).
| PRAYER: | Jesus, thank You for the tree of Calvary, the tree of life, the Christmas tree. I give my life to You. |
| PROMISE: | Jesus said, "I solemnly assure you, history has not known a man born of woman greater than John the Baptizer. Yet the least born into the kingdom of God is greater than he." –Mt 11:11 |
| PRAISE: | St. Lucy's mother opposed her vow of virginity in service of Jesus. Jesus healed her mother's physical condition and opened her heart to her daughter's vocation. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College