Greatest story
“Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Mankind.” The birthday of Jesus, God made man, was celebrated across the nation and around the world.
It’s the greatest story every told…the “Eternal Thou” coming to earth to share in our humanity. Showing us how to live here so that when time ends for each of us we can share in his divinity there. Trouble is, after the big birthday celebration we don’t pay much attention to the example He gave us to emulate…dying to “self” in order to love and serve God and our fellow man.
His ‘Mystical Body’ on earth, the church, begins the Christmas season on Dec. 25; followed by the Feast of the Holy Family; Jesus, Mary and Joseph on Dec. 28; the Epiphany on Jan. 4; and finally the Baptism of the Lord on Jan. 11. If we followed the liturgical year of the church with a fraction of the enthusiasm devoted to trival pursuits…electronic addiction, sports, entertainment, et.al…our perishing culture would revive overnight. Spiritual starvation has many destructive, undesirable side effects.
We are unique among all of God’s creation. As one goes up the hierarchy of nature, chemical; plant; animal; mankind; man alone is convertible. He who is born of the flesh can also be born of the spirit. He who is only a creature can become a child of God. It does not mean further development in the natural order. Many of us (the “progressive intelligentsia”) are already educated beyond their intelligence, but rather a generation into a supernatural order.
That is why we celebrate the birth of Christ. That is why a suprahistoric divine God came into the dimension of time to share in our humanity, establish a universal church and institute seven sacraments, the very greatest of which is the Eucharist, Christ actually present in the form of bread and wine.
Ron Misiewicz
Alverton, PA