I began a novena this morning and read this passage from Matthew:
“… and now she will bear a son.
You shall call him ‘Jesus’ for he will save
his people from their sins.”
(Matthew 1:21)
Is this really the first time I noticed?
“He will save his people …. ”
Not from other people on this earth – to this day His people are being killed for their love of Him and their faith in Him. Since His death Christians have been hunted and hated “the world” has tried to eliminate them.
Not from petty discomforts on this earth, nor was He born to elevate us in an earthly way with wealth or comfort or earthly power.
Not even from terrible suffering in this life, even from oppression or slavery or starvation.
No! “… for he will save his people from their sins.”
Jesus did not suffer and die on the cross to save me from other enemies, real or imagined. He did not die to shower me with earthly blessings (though He certainly does that).
He died to save me from my own sins – the very things I have chosen that harm me and others around me, that are killing my soul and separating me from Him.
That’s a lot to digest this morning. It’s so easy to look at how messed up this world is, to observe how much evil is in it and devouring people every day and to pray in earnest for those people and against those great evils. And that is important to do.
But it is also important to remember to reflect and to pray: “Have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Coffee with God 