Episode 2792: Providence Sacrifice and the Mystery of Love in Bethlehem - Morning Episode

I forgot two things:
1. Yesterday was the beginning of ember week. So as you know its Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
The traditional rules for fasting and abstinence on Ember Days are as follows:
1. Fasting
o One full meal is permitted, with two smaller meals (collations) that together do not equal a full meal.
o Eating between meals is not allowed, but water, coffee, tea, or other non-nutritive drinks are permitted.
2. Partial Abstinence (Wednesday and Saturday)
o Meat is allowed at the principal meal only.
3. Complete Abstinence (Friday)
o No meat is permitted on this day.
Spiritual Purpose
Ember Days are intended as a time to:
• Offer gratitude for the seasonal blessings of nature.
• Pray for priests, as ordinations traditionally took place during Ember Weeks.
• Practice penance for personal sanctification and the needs of the Church.

2. O Antiphons
December 17: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
December 18: O Adonai (O Lord and Ruler)
December 19: O Root of Jesse, who stands as a sign for the peoples, before whom kings shall keep silence, to whom the nations shall make their supplication: come to deliver us, and delay no longer.
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Before getting started I just wanted to say that we are building “The Prayer Warriors” and as much as everyone is always looking for the latest series to watch on some video streaming site, I have a challenge for you. How about building a series on CR. How about coming up with a question or topic around your faith that you either always wanted an answer to or wanted to do a deeper dive. Everyone has a question and maybe it starts with a doubt. As we get older lets leave behind a little gem for the future generations. These series on Netflix or prime eventually go into the dust bins of the secular world and are forgotten but you can be behind a series that will last and bring santity to others. We are all apostles of Christ, and we are all called to go out and spread the word each and everyone of us so I challenge you to join the Prayer Warrior Team and build an everlasting apostolate for Christ the King. What a great Christmas Present that is.
Providence, Sacrifice, and the Mystery of Love in Bethlehem
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Welcome to today’s episode. As we prepare our hearts to reflect on the mysteries of Christmas and the call to love and trust in God’s providence, we draw on the wisdom of St. Juliana of Norwich, Cardinal Robert Sarah, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, and St. Peter’s exhortation in Scripture. Together, these teachings offer us a roadmap to live in faith, embrace sacrificial love, and find wisdom in Christ, born as a child in Bethlehem.
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Segment 1: Trusting in God’s Providence
St. Juliana of Norwich wrote:
"And I saw that truly nothing happens by accident or luck, but everything by God's wise providence ... for matters that have been in God's foreseeing wisdom, since before time began, befall us suddenly, all unawares; and so in our blindness and ignorance we say that this is accident or luck, but to our Lord God it is not so."
Reflection
• God’s providence permeates every moment of our lives, from the grand to the seemingly insignificant. What we perceive as chance or misfortune is woven into His eternal plan.
• Consider Bethlehem. To the world, the birth of Christ in a manger might seem accidental or insignificant. Yet, it was the culmination of a divine plan set in motion since the Fall of Adam and Eve.
Takeaway
• Trust in God’s providence, especially in moments of uncertainty or difficulty. Know that He is working all things for His glory and our good.
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Segment 2: The Sacrificial Nature of Love
Cardinal Robert Sarah teaches:
"Love, by its essence, involves a leap into the unknown, a death to oneself, because genuine love is a love that loves to the end. And to love to the end means to die for those whom you love. It also means to forgive them. This involves the experience, one day or another, of the Cross and, therefore of sacrifice, which will seal the spouses' unity definitively."
Reflection
• Love requires sacrifice. This truth is revealed in the Incarnation itself, where Christ humbled Himself to become man and ultimately gave His life for us.
• The selfless love we see in the Holy Family Joseph’s quiet obedience, Mary’s fiat, and Christ’s total gift of self calls us to imitate this love in our relationships.
• In the small, daily sacrifices of family life, we unite our struggles to the Cross and participate in the redemptive love of Christ.
Takeaway
• Reflect on how you can live out sacrificial love in your vocation. Whether through forgiveness, patience, or humility, ask God for the grace to love as Christ loves.
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Segment 3: The Mystery of Bethlehem
Archbishop Fulton Sheen beautifully captures the humility and mystery of Christ’s birth:
*"One night there went out over the stillness of an evening breeze, out over the white chalk hills of Bethlehem, a cry, a gentle cry. The sea did not hear the cry, for the sea was filled with its own voice. The earth did not hear the cry, for the earth slept. The great men of the earth did not hear the cry, for they could not understand how a Child could be greater than a man.
There were only two classes of men who heard the cry that night: Shepherds and Wise Men. Shepherds: Those who know they know nothing. Wise Men: Those who know they do not know everything. The Shepherds found their Shepherd, and the Wise Men discovered Wisdom. And the Shepherd and the Wisdom was a Babe in a crib."*
Reflection
• The simplicity of Christ’s birth reminds us that God’s ways often confound worldly wisdom. True wisdom and humility lead us to the manger, where we encounter the eternal Word made flesh.
• Like the shepherds and the Wise Men, we are called to approach Christ with open hearts, ready to be transformed by His presence.
Takeaway
• This Christmas, let us humbly kneel before the manger, recognizing that the greatest wisdom and love are found in the mystery of God becoming man.
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Segment 4: Living Out Love and Hospitality
St. Peter exhorts us in Scripture:
"The end of all things is at hand. Therefore, be serious and sober for prayers. Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining" (1 Peter 4:7-9).
Reflection
• St. Peter’s words remind us of the urgency of love. In a world often marked by division and selfishness, we are called to love intensely and without reserve.
• Hospitality, done joyfully and generously, is a concrete way to manifest God’s love to others.
Takeaway
• How can you show greater love and hospitality this season? Whether through a kind word, a generous act, or prayer for those in need, let your love be a reflection of Christ’s love.
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Conclusion: Lessons from Providence, Sacrifice, and Bethlehem
Today, we have reflected on God’s providence, the sacrificial nature of love, and the mystery of Christ’s birth.
• From St. Juliana of Norwich, we learned to trust in God’s providence, knowing that nothing happens by chance.
• From Cardinal Robert Sarah, we were reminded that true love involves sacrifice, a reflection of Christ’s love for us.
• From Archbishop Fulton Sheen, we rediscovered the humility and wisdom of Bethlehem, where Christ, our Shepherd and Wisdom, was born.
• From St. Peter, we were exhorted to love intensely, live prayerfully, and practice joyful hospitality.
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Closing Prayer
Lord of all creation,
We thank You for the gift of Your Son, who came to us in humility and love. Teach us to trust in Your providence, even when life seems uncertain. Fill our hearts with the courage to love sacrificially and the humility to embrace the mystery of Your ways.
Help us to love one another intensely, as You have loved us, and to be a reflection of Your light in the world. Guide us in prayer, strengthen us in charity, and prepare us to welcome Christ into our hearts this Christmas and always.
We ask this through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, and all Your saints.
Amen.
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Thank you for joining us. May you walk confidently in God’s providence, love deeply and sacrificially, and find peace in the mystery of Bethlehem. Until next time, may God bless you and keep you.