christmas trees
"I will plant in the desert the cedar, acacia, myrtle, and olive; I will set in the wasteland the cypress, together with the plane tree and the pine." —Isaiah 41:19
The prophet Isaiah mentions Christmas trees: the cedar and pine trees. These trees will miraculously grow in the desert and wasteland. These Christmas trees are trees of life arising in the midst of death, under impossible circumstances.
Besides the Isaiah tree, there is the Genesis Christmas tree. Traditionally, Christmas trees remind us of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden (Gn 2:17). Also, the trees were decorated with apples to remind us of the first sin. This tree was a tree of death which cuts us off from the tree of life (Gn 3:22). Finally, Acts of the Apostles refers to the tree of Calvary (Acts 13:29). The Acts tree is Jesus' cross. This tree, as the tree of Christ's death, is the tree of eternal life.
What does your Christmas tree and your life stand for? Life or death? Salvation or sin? Victory or defeat? Calvary or Eden? Two weeks from today is Christmas Eve. "Prepare the way of the Lord" (Is 40:3).
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for the tree of Calvary, the tree of life, the Christmas tree. I give my life to You.
Promise: Jesus said, "I solemnly assure you, history has not known a man born of woman greater than John the Baptizer. Yet the least born into the kingdom of God is greater than he." —Mt 11:11
Praise: St. Lucy's mother opposed her vow of virginity in service of Jesus. Jesus healed her mother's physical condition and opened her heart to her daughter's vocation.
Reference: (Are you a fruitful tree? Order our leaflet Accepting Jesus as Lord, Savior and God or on audio AV 43-3 or video V-43.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 27, 2012
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