When: Monday, December 24, 2007 12:00 AM to Tuesday, December 25, 2007 12:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
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Words of Jesus
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." Luke 4:18-19
Christ came to cure our wounds; but since all do not search for the remedy, therefore, He cures those who are willing; He does not force the unwilling. God, for His part, really wills us to be save; otherwise, it would be impossible for us to obtain health and eternal life. – St. Alphonsus Liguori
Abba, Father, Lord God, let us ‘rejoice, rejoice, for Emmanuel has come to us, Lord God, may we rejoice that Jesus Christ is born anew in our hearts and in our home this Christmas night.’ Thank You Lord God for the gift of Your Son, Jesus. For through Jesus, You "visited" and "brought redemption" to us. You continue through Jesus and through us to dwell in our world today. O Lord God that when people look at me, they think of Jesus and see You at work in me through Jesus’ words and teaching in the Holy Spirit, Amen.
1 Now when the king dwelt in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies round about, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent." 3 And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart; for the LORD is with you." 4 But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, 5 "Go and tell my servant David, `Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 8 Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel; 9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. When he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men; 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.‘"
2 For thy steadfast love was established for ever, thy faithfulness is firm as the heavens. 3 Thou hast said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: 4 `I will establish your descendants for ever, and build your throne for all generations.’" [Selah] 5 Let the heavens praise thy wonders, O LORD, thy faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! 27 And I will make him the first-born, the highest of the kings of the earth. 29 I will establish his line for ever and his throne as the days of the heavens.
67 And his father Zechari’ah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people, 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; 72 to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, 74 to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. 76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78 through the tender mercy of our God, when the day shall dawn upon us from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
Advent ‘A Time of Preparation’ – Christmas Eve
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for He has visited and brought redemption to His people. (Luke 1:68)
Reflection
As soon as Jesus was born, visitors began to come. First it was the shepherds. Then the wise men. Then Simeon and Anna. Then even the soldiers of Herod were sent to find Him. Together these visitors represent the people of every nation, coming by every possible path and conveyance to see Christ. These words of Zechariah’s Canticle, cited above, remind us that it was impossible to contain God in heaven. Through Jesus, He "visited" and "brought redemption" to us. He continues through Jesus and through us to dwell in our world today. When people look at us, do they think of Jesus?
Pope Benedict XVI Encyclical Letter
One Walk 
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