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[The
angel said to Joseph:] “It is through the Holy Spirit that this
child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are
to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their
sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said
through the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and
bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means 'God is with
us.'" When Joseph awoke, he did as the
angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his
home. He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he
named him Jesus.
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Charles
Dickens' novel and director Roman Polanski’s movie
“Oliver Twist” tells the story of a young boy who is
surrounded by evil. They present young Oliver Twist to be a
person who needs help in order to survive. Oliver is used by
adults and finally runs away, and would have perished were it not for
the help of people like the street-smart teenager Artful Dodger and the
grotesque old man Fagin. Fagin is a key in Oliver’s life,
an adult who had been formed by his own rough up-bringing, a person who
helps the young people in his charge, exploiting them, but at the same
time keeping them from the far worse evils of the London
streets. Finally, Oliver is helped by the kind old man Mr.
Brownlow who
understood Oliver’s innate innocence.
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The
central Christian issue of the Christmas story is that Jesus came to
our earth in order to save us, to help us be the people that we should
be. Because Jesus was God, Christians believe that he truly was
Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." God knew that human beings
were in need of help, and so with generosity that surpassed anything
the world had ever seen or would ever see, God became one of us, saying
to us in effect, "I am with you, I am here to help you
survive. All
you have to do is to follow me."
A significant part of following Jesus is the thought of helping others. It is a concept that is so important for human growth and maturity that if we do not experience it, we will never grow up well. If the orphan Oliver Twist had not had the assistance of other people in his life, he would never have survived in the world. Likewise, everyone of us realizes both that we need the help of others, and in actuality, have been given such help. Perhaps the ultimate meaning of the Christmas message and the fact that "God is with us" to save us from the evils that surround us is that we are called to be part of the Christian plan. Each of us in our own ways have the opportunity to "save" people, to present to them the message that "God is with us." Our call is not only to recognize that we have been helped, but that we can help others who are in need. |
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THOUGHT
Think of two or three people who are
important in your life right now. What specifically can you do to
help them today?
PRAYER Good
and gracious God, you sent your Son to earth to save us, and to give us
your presence in our lives. May we both thank you for this
wonderful gift, and also learn that we can help others. Be with
us, we pray.
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©2007
Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America |