The Joyful Mysteries
Thursday 14th May 2020
Third Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
‘...Joseph set out from
the town of Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to Judaea, to the town of
David called Bethlehem, since he was of David’s House and line, in order to be registered
with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there the time
came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first born.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there
was no room for them at the inn.’
(Lk 2: 1-7)
When a man enters a monastery, he is
not automatically given a habit, a cell and a set of instructions on how to be
the perfect monk. Instead he is entrusted to the care of a Novice Master. St.
Benedict, composed a Rule for his monks back in the 6th century and
in chapter 58 he wrote the following about the Novice Master:
‘A senior chosen for his skill in winning souls should be
appointed to look after them [Novices] with
careful attention.’
The skill of ‘winning souls’
and the emphasis on ‘careful attention’ is essential for the Novice
Master to have, if he is to accompany his students in discerning the will of
God. The new monk is given practical assistance from the Master when it comes
to the teaching of monastic etiquette and tradition, passing on monastery
customs and giving helpful guidance and techniques in meditating and praying
with the Scriptures. However, this is only one part of the Novice
Masters role. The description given by St. Benedict in the Rule saw the job of
the Master as being more than just a teacher. He stated that a senior monk
should be selected for his skill in touching souls and being diligent and
attentive to their care. When I was a monk it was not so much the formal
teachings given by the Novice Master that helped me but his example, how he
lived the monastic life himself.
I was able to see at first-hand how
he lived and breathed this unique vocation as a monk just by time together. Daily
we would eat together, pray together, talk and share together and work
together. Manuals, guides and directives are all very well and good but nothing
beats the actual lived experience of another who is generous enough to share
that. (Photo of when I was Fr. Patrick)
Experience and realness are the key
words to unlocking today’s third Joyful Mystery of the Nativity. Our God is not
some distant spiritual entity that hovers above the earth. Our God is not some
convoluted high ideal that is unattainable. Our God is not some ‘airy fairy’
notion! Our God is real, true, and genuine. As it was through the experience of
seeing the Novice Master live his daily life that helped me to grow so it is in
the Nativity that helps us to grow in faith. Jesus, the Son of God, became
flesh and blood, he became Incarnate. He allowed us to experience him not at a
distance but amongst us and dwelling with us. It is this encounter, this
experience that we are still talking about today 2000 years later! It is this
moment in human history that has shaped and changed the world and opened the
way towards heaven. God the Son allowed us to experience his real and living
presence in order to help us believe and nurture our faith.
Let’s reflect back to Moses for a
moment to see how blessed we truly are.
‘Moses said, ‘Show me your glory, I beg you.’ (Ex 33:18)
Moses had heard the voice of God, he
had felt His presence and so it was only natural that he wanted to see the face
of God. Simply put, Moses wanted to
experience the fullness of God. This
is the answer the Almighty gives:
‘‘You cannot see my face,’
he said ‘for man cannot see me and live.’ And the Lord said, ‘Here is a
place beside me. You must stand on the rock, and when my glory passes by, I
will put you in a cleft of the rock and shield you with my hand while I pass
by. Then I will take my hand away and you shall see the back of me; but my face
is not to be seen.’’ (Ex 33:20-23)
Moses is partly granted his request
to see God but only his back, for to see the face of the Lord God Almighty
would be too much and result in death. His glory and light would be too
powerful and overwhelming for a fragile human to gaze upon, even for a great
prophet like Moses. Moses’ experience of God is not perfect or clear. There is
something missing.
Like Moses, God’s people for a long
time were only able to experience the Lord God in a particular way. There was
still some distance, some obstacle and barrier in the relationship between
Creator and creation and this as we know was down to sin. Human beings free and
purposeful choice to turn away from God, to prefer darkness to light, to
worship the ‘I’ and ‘Me’ rather than the Creator. All this obviously had an
effect upon peoples experience of God.
It was God’s mercy that broke down
that dividing wall of sin built by us. It was God’s love that sent his only Son
to dwell among us. On the night of the Nativity shepherds did not hide in the
clefts of rocks and wise men did not shun the bright light of a star. All those
people gathered around the manger were the first to have the honour and
privilege to see the face of God Himself in Jesus Christ – the Word made flesh.
Moses’ experience of God never allowed him the grace to see and gaze upon the
face of Divine Love Himself. It is through the Incarnation that we are blessed
and have been able to experience God who is real, he took on flesh and blood.
As the Novice Master teaches the
student by his example and simply living the monastic life so God Himself drew
his people into this authentic and genuine mystery by becoming Incarnate.
Because of the Incarnation God is not some passing fancy for us. He has
physically rubbed shoulders with us. His voice was heard, his body was seen,
his blood was wiped and his tears dried. His meals were cooked and eaten; his
thirst quenched. He touched and healed. He spoke and taught. He died, was
buried and truly rose from the dead. He is Risen, Alive and will come again.
The painting below by Caravaggio says it all.
The mystery of the Nativity is not
just about the Word becoming Incarnate. But through his bodily presence, he has
drawn us all into the presence of God, in a unique and intimate way. No
barrier’s or walls, no obstacles or illusions. No; just simply the experience
of God amongst His people, loving them.
First Single Bead: Our
Father
Let us begin this decade in a spirit
of thanks. Thanks that we are loved so much by God that he came amongst us. He
took on our fragility and humanity so that we could share in his divinity and
return to the heart of the Father.
Ten Beads: Hail Mary for
each one
Let us ask the Holy Spirit for the
grace to imitate our Lady.
‘As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered
them in her heart.’
(Lk 2:19)
The enormity of what took place at
the Nativity did not overwhelm Mary but in her gentle and quiet way she
embraced the love and mercy of God in the great mystery of the Incarnation. May
we too treasure this miracle of Christmas not just once a year but 365 days a
year.
Single Bead: Glory be
Let us remember the work of God the
Holy Trinity and reflect on how we have experienced it in our lives and
continue to experience it through the love and mercy that flows from the God of
Life.
Tomorrow our Rosary Reflection will be postponed until
Saturday. Instead tomorrows posting will be information from the diocese and
updates in regards to the Covid-19 pandemic.
God Bless and keep praying.
St. Matthias, pray for us.
Fr. O’Brien