Advent is here! – Why the Incarnation?

The mission of Jesus Christ is summed up in the reasons for the Incarnation.

Faith 

The season of Advent is an opportune time to reflect upon the reasons for the Incarnation, to answer the question, “Why did the Word become flesh?” 

The Word became flesh for us to save us by reconciling us with God (CCC, 457). Jesus Christ, the second person of the Holy Trinity, was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and became flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary.  

He was both human and divine and experienced all we experience except sin. By His dying on the cross and rising from the dead, He overcame sin and death and brought us back into the friendship with God. By our baptism, we are called to live in the grace of this friendship and strive to overcome the weaknesses and sins in our own life. The beauty and power of God rescuing us can be more fully understood in this explanation by Fr. John Ricardo. I encourage you to watch Father’s video, Someone Has Come to Fight, produced by Openlight Media. (See the video below or click here to watch.)

Spot the Virtue 

One of the hardest things to learn to do in prayer is to listen. We seem to doubt that God would speak to us, so we spend our energy filling the time with thoughts and words. As the season of Advent approaches, try to be still, listen, and talk to God. I also encourage you to listen to others speak, as this is one way to cultivate the virtue of Prayerfulness. 

Name: Miriam, I saw you praying in the chapel today during lunch. 

Explain: You could have been enjoying time with your classmates but instead, you chose to spend that time in prayer with Jesus. 

Express: It brought joy to my heart seeing you sitting quietly and desiring to be with the Lord. You are a wonderful witness to me. 

Prayer 

Select one of the following scripture passages and reflect on it during the week: 

1 John 4:9-14 

1 John 3:5 

Ephesians 2:14-18