January 03, 2023

The Visitors at the Nativity

26 minutes

In this podcast, Fr. Leo Agustina helps us realize that no matter how much we prepare, spiritually or materially, Christmas comes, and we never feel ready. There is always a contrast “between the purity and the beauty” of Christ’s coming and the “inadequacy” of our hearts to receive Him.

Therefore, Fr. Leo invites us to adopt the humility and openness of the “broken figures” (or characters) who we find and imagine at the first nativity scene. They show us how all that is needed to welcome Christ is the willingness to receive the Good News. And, regardless of our brokenness and imperfections, Our Lord is always happy to welcome us when we approach him.

"As you kneel at the feet of the child Jesus on the day of his Epiphany and see him a king bearing none of the outward signs of royalty, you can tell him: 'Lord, take away my pride; crush my self-love, my desire to affirm myself and impose myself on others. Make the foundation of my personality my identification with you'" (Christ is Passing By, no. 32).

In this podcast, you will also hear how:

• Our Lord uses “broken figures” to deliver the most revolutionary message in human history, a message of hope and joy, a message that will change our history forever.

• With our imperfections, wounds, and scars, we are gracious before God, and He comes to us whether we’re ready or not. He takes the lead and anticipates when we need His love.

• Dorothy Day wrote that: “I believe that if Jesus can be born in stable, he can also be born in me…”

• Wherever you are, God is knocking on your heart. He is not interested in external things and that gives us a lot of peace.

• We need to learn from Christmas that God is always happy to come to us and to welcome us—that is the Epiphany.

View Transcript
Visit Show Page