Coming Soon

In our Christmas novena, we sing an antiphon that sounds a little out of season: "With the rising of the sun, you will soon see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords coming forth from the Father, as a Bridegroom from his bridal chamber."
This is one of those images from the Psalms that is given a new and unexpected meaning by the encounter with the Gospel. It's from Psalm 19: The heavens are telling the glory of God... The psalmist imagines one day giving the message, relay style, to the next, so that as the sun rises in the east, it is eager to run out, like a champion athlete at the starting block, to get the message even further.
What a lovely image of Our Lord! He comes to us with joy and anticipation, "eager to run his course" among us, telling us (in the words of St. Irenaeus) that "the glory of God is man, fully alive and the life of man is the vision of God."

May this Christmas bring each of us a clearer vision of the glory of God, and a greater share in his life.
Blessed Christmas!