Gospel: Luke 2:16-21
So they came hurriedly, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the feeding trough. On seeing him, they related what they had been told about the child; and all were astonished on hearing the shepherds. As for Mary, she treasured all these words, and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds then returned, giving glory and praise to God for all they had heard and seen, just as the angels had told them. On the eighth day, the circumcision of the baby had to be performed; he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
REFLECTION:
A humble scene is described in the gospel – the baby Jesus lying in the manger, yet the shepherds give glory and praise to God. What a contrast to our present situation wherein children are considered more as a liability instead of an asset. Many countries allow abortion. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta calls this the “greatest crime of the century.” “Children are blessings,” says Pope Francis. Children are our future. Growing up with my ten siblings was a joyful and memorable experience, and even more precious now than we are grown-ups. There were quarrels and misunderstandings but there was more fun that came out from those experiences.
May civil governments protect, nourish and promote the well-being of children, especially those who are displaced by civil wars. Mother Mary, we entrust to you the unborn and all abandoned children.
Reference: http://www.claretianpublications.com/index.php/daily-gospel
