Came for You

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.’”

Matthew 1:22-23

As we enter into the fourth week of Advent, we inch closer and closer to Christmas Day, the day of our long-awaited expectation. But, what exactly is the object of this anticipation? For whom or what have we been preparing our hearts these past three weeks? During the first week of Advent, we focused on the hope that comes from Christ. The second week of Advent we sought the peace that only Christ can bring. Last week we allowed our hearts to be filled with joy. Today and this final week of Advent, we come to encounter Love itself — Jesus, who is Emmanuel, “God with us.”

The fruit of Advent is Jesus. Jesus is the reason for our anticipation and waiting. We have been using these past couple of weeks to tidy up our inner homes so that we can welcome Jesus into our hearts on Christmas Day. In the fullness of time, God sent His only begotten Son into this world so that all might be saved. Jesus came to this earth for you and for me and for all, extending to us an invitation to eternal life. This Christmas, Jesus, of course, will not be born again in Bethlehem, but will we allow Jesus and His love to be born in our hearts?

Jesus came into this world to remind us of the reality of His name, that God is with us, not just in a heartwarming, sentimental way, but in a real and tangible way. That God lives in us. We who are baptized are baptized in Christ, we have received the gift of sanctifying grace, a share in the life of God. So, God is not just with us in a psychological sense that “we are not alone,” but God is truly with us — in all aspects of our lives, in our joys, our sorrows, and in the daily moments of our lives. Jesus comes to us this Christmas, will we allow Him into our hearts and allow His love to take root in our lives?

Let us remember that God is indeed always with us, the God who is our hope, our peace, and our joy, the God who humbles Himself and comes to us, we who by His everlasting love, have been made His very own sons and daughters. Our God is a God who comes to save us and to love us. This Christmas, may we find the courage to welcome Him, receive His love, and in turn share this love with others.