Back to Work!
Well, most of us are back to work. I hope you had some special moments this past week - special time with God and family and friends. Now it's business as usual. Or is it?
Christmas changes us; it changes everything. That's why Jesus came to us that night in Bethlehem. He laid out the new for everyone to see. Did you see it?
It can't possibly be business as usual with the Divine Infant of Bethlehem lying peacefully there in your heart. You can't but walk a bit lighter, more gingerly, knowing He's there in your heart, resting in His Mother's arms. You can't but be curious how He will grow from a little baby into the Son of Man and, eventually, yes, the Man of Sorrows. That same little Baby who melted your heart, His face shining under the Star, will show Himself to be the Christ, Emmanuel, the One who saved us all from our sins.
Ah, it'll be a tough road ahead for Him. With all the carols sung and the feasting finished, it's down to reality for Him - and for us.
You may have noticed that the Church, in its wisdom, shows us just how tough right off the bat. The day after Christmas Day is the feast of St Stephen, the first martyr. Then comes the feast of the Holy Innocents - the babies and little children under two years old murdered on the orders of King Herod- on December 28th. Finally, the feast of St Thomas Beckett, bishop and martyr. He was the one who underwent a deep conversion of heart in the 12th century after being appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by Henry II. Instead of doing the king's bidding, as he had before being appointed bishop, he turned into a conscientious bishop fulfilling his duties to Christ first - and was martyred for his efforts.
So being back at work, we may be - at least some of us - back to the daily grind, back at a job that we don't especially like or maybe just back doing difficult work we were happy to get away from for a bit. Whatever your situation, don't let the post-Christmas "blues" get you down. And certainly don't think of things being "as usual." They're far from it.
Whether you "feel" it or not, you've changed. Jesus changed you - and all of us - at Christmas. He didn't come to provide a little fun and distraction for us this one time of year - a break from the mundane, the routine, the ordinary. He didn't come only for us to take a few days off and get some blessed relief from the grind of work.
He came to make us new. Now it's up to us to approach everything we think and say and do with that new heart, that new, revived, re-energized soul. It's up to us to keep Christmas in our hearts every day. We Catholic men at work are called to a new work - the work of redemption, begun by Him in the stable in Bethlehem, living and breathing in us now every day.
Get back in that saddle and ride on brothers. Follow Christ, first and foremost. Let your work sing to Him this New Year - a great Christmas carol that never ends.
Christmas changes us; it changes everything. That's why Jesus came to us that night in Bethlehem. He laid out the new for everyone to see. Did you see it?
It can't possibly be business as usual with the Divine Infant of Bethlehem lying peacefully there in your heart. You can't but walk a bit lighter, more gingerly, knowing He's there in your heart, resting in His Mother's arms. You can't but be curious how He will grow from a little baby into the Son of Man and, eventually, yes, the Man of Sorrows. That same little Baby who melted your heart, His face shining under the Star, will show Himself to be the Christ, Emmanuel, the One who saved us all from our sins.
Ah, it'll be a tough road ahead for Him. With all the carols sung and the feasting finished, it's down to reality for Him - and for us.
You may have noticed that the Church, in its wisdom, shows us just how tough right off the bat. The day after Christmas Day is the feast of St Stephen, the first martyr. Then comes the feast of the Holy Innocents - the babies and little children under two years old murdered on the orders of King Herod- on December 28th. Finally, the feast of St Thomas Beckett, bishop and martyr. He was the one who underwent a deep conversion of heart in the 12th century after being appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by Henry II. Instead of doing the king's bidding, as he had before being appointed bishop, he turned into a conscientious bishop fulfilling his duties to Christ first - and was martyred for his efforts.
So being back at work, we may be - at least some of us - back to the daily grind, back at a job that we don't especially like or maybe just back doing difficult work we were happy to get away from for a bit. Whatever your situation, don't let the post-Christmas "blues" get you down. And certainly don't think of things being "as usual." They're far from it.
Whether you "feel" it or not, you've changed. Jesus changed you - and all of us - at Christmas. He didn't come to provide a little fun and distraction for us this one time of year - a break from the mundane, the routine, the ordinary. He didn't come only for us to take a few days off and get some blessed relief from the grind of work.
He came to make us new. Now it's up to us to approach everything we think and say and do with that new heart, that new, revived, re-energized soul. It's up to us to keep Christmas in our hearts every day. We Catholic men at work are called to a new work - the work of redemption, begun by Him in the stable in Bethlehem, living and breathing in us now every day.
Get back in that saddle and ride on brothers. Follow Christ, first and foremost. Let your work sing to Him this New Year - a great Christmas carol that never ends.
Comments