Preparation for Christmas 2000 26 November 1999
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The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified... I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name." (John 12:23, 27-28) |
I want to share something that happened to me this afternoon.
After office, I dropped by the St. Andrew's Cathedral which is a block from my office. At the start of the week, I wanted to do a station of the cross but was not able to do so until this afternoon. I feel very blessed to have done it.
Although I am not familiar with the Station of the Cross, I tried my best to follow each station based on the pictures. I tried reflecting on each station and even on the first station, I felt and realized how Jesus truly emptied himself to obey the will of the Father. As I went through the other stations, I saw how Jesus struggled despite immense physical and emotional pain - just to do the Father's will.
When I came to the station where Jesus was stripped of his clothes to be crucified, I realized that this is what the Father wants of us. As we approach our 'Calvary', we too should divest ourselves of material things so that God can be glorified. During our 'crucifixion', we too should stretch out our hands in prayer - not so much as to ask for strength BUT, as Jesus did, proclaim the victory of God. For it is during these moments of trouble and darkness that God's power is working in us. His power and grace burns everything that is not him so that when everything has been burned, what remains will be our pure love for him.
During this Advent season, may we truly divest ourselves of everything that is not the Lord so that we can celebrate his birth and this Great Year of Jubilee with joy and power.