Talk 2 | Holy Angels Catholic Church – 40 Hours and Advent Mission
The story of Christmas confronts us with the striking reality that when Jesus came the first time many people completely missed it. Despite preparing for hundreds of years for the coming of the Messiah, many, perhaps most, did not notice his coming. Part of this was by design on God’s part. He did not come in a flashy obvious way as some would have expected. He did not explode onto the scene as a conquering hero. Rather, he came as a little baby. He entered this world quietly and in secret, but not all missed it.
In last night’s talk, we focused on the ox and the ass who recognized their master and their owner’s manger. Tonight we look to yet more figures in our familiar Christmas nativity scenes. Among the people who recognized the coming of the Messiah were the shepherds and the magi. We hear of the angels and speak of the star that announced his birth. There is much we can learn from the first coming of Jesus so as not be ready for his second coming.