No one can celebrate a genuine Christmas...

Image by LilG05

No one can celebrate a genuine Christmas
without being truly poor.

The self-sufficient, the proud,
those who, because they have everything,
look down on others,
those who have no need even of God
—for them there will be no Christmas.

Only the poor, the hungry,
those who need someone to come on their behalf,
will have that someone.

That someone is God.
Emmanuel.
God-with-us.

Without poverty of spirit
there can be no abundance of God.

- Oscar Romero

Romero was archbishop to the poor of El Salvador. He was assassinated while celebrating Mass. The Church may one day proclaim him to be what his people already name him: a saint. Romero speaks a hard word here - something difficult for us to hear and understand in our first world comfort. But what he says is true and it is true to the spirit of the Advent and Christmas seasons. Christmas is for those who need someone to come on their behalf. If we think we need no one or if we do not believe that the someone is, indeed, God - then we have no idea of what Advent and Christmas are all about...

O God,
help me to know how much I need you...

And if I think I don't need you,
or that I can get by without you some days,
some months -even for years-
then open my eyes to my foolishness
and lead me home to you...

I need you to be there for me, Lord,
I need you to come on my behalf,
to be my strength, my guide,
my advocate, my help, my Savior...

Teach me to hunger for time with you, for prayer...

Teach me to thirst for your truth,
your wisdom and your counsel...

Teach me to long for the peace
that only you can give,
the peace I so much need...

Show me how I am poor, Lord,
and how your grace is the greatest treasure
I might ever possess...

You hear the cry of the poor, Lord:
hear the cry of my poor heart
and help me hear the cry of those in need...

(Turn up the volume just a bit for this video)





-ConcordPastor