Shakespeare said the world is a stage and we are all players in the theater of life. Others say life is a party or game. Job said life was a drudgery (Jb 7:1). The Lord reveals to us that life is a Passover (see Lk 2:41) – a communal celebration of our God-given freedom from slavery. Life is not just a nostalgic look at Passovers past, but a living of Passover present. Life is losing Christ for three days (see Lk 2:46), being crucified and buried with Him (Rm 6:3-4), and searching for the Lord in sorrow (Lk 2:48; Jn 20:15). Life is also finding Christ and rising with Him "on the third day" (Lk 2:46; Jn 20:16).
All of this is "the Father's business" (Lk 2:49, our translation). This is everyday life and family life. This is the way of holiness in life and in family. We become holy by becoming like God (see 1 Pt 1:15-16). We become like God by being baptized into Jesus' death and Resurrection (Rm 6:3ff) and living our Baptisms through daily crosses and repeated experiences of the Resurrection. As our lives become Passovers, we and our families become holy. Like Jesus, we progress "steadily in wisdom and age and grace before God and men" (Lk 2:52). Holy Family, pray for us.
| PRAYER: | Father, center my life on celebrating, receiving, and living the New Passover, the Eucharist (see Lk 22:15). |
| PROMISE: | "Beloved, if our consciences have nothing to charge us with, we can be sure that God is with us and that we will receive at His hands whatever we ask. Why? Because we are keeping His commandments and doing what is pleasing in His sight." –1 Jn 3:21-22 |
| PRAISE: | Praise Jesus, Who "grew in size and strength, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him" (Lk 2:40). |
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