The Nativity: A Most Adorable King
March 28, 2011 | XV.
Grace: To know the divine King who has become incarnate for me and to adore Him in the manger.
Text for Prayer: Lk. 2:1-20
Reflection: Infants are often described as adorable, but the infant who is the subject of this meditation is adorable in a rather more exalted sense. The newborn Jesus is worthy of our adoration, and the shepherds who travel to see him serve as worthy models for us. Responding to the word of God that comes to them through the message of an angel, they seek out and find the infant Lord in order to pay Him homage and to share the message of the promise that He brings to all mankind.
This infant Savior is not only the King of Heaven; he also desires to be the King of our hearts. He desires to show us his power made perfect in his weakness and in his vulnerability. As Mary’s Son, Jesus is ever close to her heart, and when Mary hears the message of the shepherds, she ponders their words in her heart. Let us imitate Mary today by adoring the Lord in his manger and by pondering the promise of salvation that his coming into this world brings.
Questions: How do Mary and Joseph gaze upon the newborn Christ? What do the shepherds see when they find the Lord wrapped in swaddling clothes? How do I show my reverence for the Child in the manger? How do I welcome Him into this world?