tender, comforting love
"Comfort, give comfort to My people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem." —Isaiah 40:1
This Christmas, the Lord wants us to have a special "encounter" with Him (see Church in America, 3). He wants our relationship with Him to be greater than any other love in our life. He will make our relationship with Him so deep, personal, and intimate that He will be a Source of comfort for us even in our worst sufferings (see Is 40:2; Ps 94:19). The Lord wants a tender relationship with us (see Is 40:1). He even lives in us and us in Him (Jn 14:20; 17:23, NAB). The depth and the intimacy of our relationship with the Lord is such that we can receive even His body and blood into our bodies.
We receive this deep, personal, intimate relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. For example, Jesus' disciples spent day after day with Jesus for years, but they never had a deep relationship. This was manifested when they abandoned Christ as He was crucified. However, when the Holy Spirit descended upon them at Pentecost, they became so close to Jesus that they gave their lives to Him, proclaimed His love to the nations, and even died for Him.
Therefore, let us pray: Come, Holy Spirit! Come, Christmas Spirit of comforting, tender, and deep love!
Prayer: Father, let it be done to me according to Your word (see Lk 1:38).
Promise: "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." —Mk 1:8
Praise: Praise the risen Jesus, Emmanuel, "God with us" and within us!
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape on Developing A Deep Personal Relationship with Jesus on audio AV 52-1 or video V-52.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend David L. Zink, June 12, 2002
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 13, 2002