by Br. Francis Mary Kratz, St. Albert the Great Priory, Irving, TX
As Jesus was set apart from the world upon His consecration, we also must live apart from the world on receiving the Sacrament of Baptism and strengthening through Confirmation. This does not mean that we run away from our daily duties and the relationships in which God has entrusted us in this world, but it points towards a proper interior relationship with God and how we perceive and interact with "worldly things." We must examine ourselves and our intentions to better understand our relationship with God: were we more enthralled with the physical gifts received on Christmas day or were we filled with more joy attending Mass and receiving the Eucharist that day with our loved ones (if we were fortunate enough to be with them)? This joy and peace while participating in the Mass or while carrying out "the things of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 7:32) is a sure sign that we are "in the light" (1 John 2:9). And the way we can enter more fully into the light of Christ is through continual prayer (particularly contemplation) and frequent reception of the Sacraments with a faithful heart.
Notice also that when Simeon consecrated Jesus, he delivered not just happy news but also a forewarning to Mary: Jesus is "a sign that will be contradicted, and you yourself a sword will pierce" (Luke 2:35). This tells us the journey of every Christian will not be easy but is necessary to suffer for imitation of Christ. Yet this should not lead to an overwhelming sorrow, for "the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining" (1 John 2:8). Therefore, we must have hope in God lest we are consumed by the darkness of failure and sin in our lives: He is "the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement" (2 Corinthians 1:3). How can we tell whether our actions each day are in accord with our Baptismal promises and therefore Jesus’ love? We can judge ourselves by this standard: "whoever claims to abide in Him ought to walk just as he walked" (1 John 2:6). If we do this, we will embrace St. John's words in our daily interactions with others: "Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall" (1 John 2:10). When others see us "Live Jesus" (St. Francis de Sales), they can exclaim that we are "a light for revelation" to non-Catholics and that "they may observe your good works and glorify God" (1 Peter 2:12).
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