Born to Die
BORN TO DIE
The Lord has pressed upon me the name of this article. I have heard it many times in my head until I finally made the time to write what I feel that God wants us to contemplate on. I wrote this in Adoration.
As I sit in front of you, Jesus, I reflect on the fact that you were born to die. Yes, we are all going to die, but we don’t know the day nor the hour or the circumstances behind our passing. On the other hand, You knew it before creation. You knew it before the fall of Adam and Eve. You always knew that you would be born to die.
The God who is all knowing allowed Himself to take residence in the beautiful, pure womb of Our Virgin Mother, Mary. As we don’t remember our existence in the womb, You did. You told a few saints and mystics that your first suffering was not being born in a cold, dark cave, but it was being closed in without room to move within Mary’s womb. I have contemplated this many times, about how you were completely aware of everything around you even as an infant in the womb. As humans, we think that you experienced what we did, which was no recollection of being in the womb but we forget that you were both human and divine.
How hard it must have been to not talk until the appropriate time. I am sure that you were advanced in everything as you are the all knowing God. Being partly human, you allowed yourself to experience the feelings that you created in a much more pure and devout way that we could never understand. Despite all of this, you calmly suffered through every phase of your life.
You allowed the Blessed Virgin to nurse you. You had no need for food but to be like us, you suffered by allowing food to enter your body. You had no need for rest buy you slept for the sake of your humanity. You allowed both Mary and St. Joseph to nurture and teach you despite the fact you know everything. St Joseph taught you his trade and you were a most attentive student. You suffered by the hands of other children who knew you were different. Even their bullying didn’t seem to phase you. Your smile of love for everyone no matter how they treated you made many gravitate toward you, even when you were trying to be hidden.
In your Father’s house, you wanted to educate the errors of the church leaders. Your wisdom captivated their hearts despite the fact that you were only twelve years old. I can’t help but think that maybe one of them was Nicodemus.
All this time, from your holy birth in silence, in a cold, dark cave, you knew you were born to die. You knew exactly how you were going to suffer on the cross. You embraced this suffering but allowed yourself to feel human weakness and asked for this cup to pass, but then you said, “Not my will, but yours, my Father.”
You prepared your Mother for this awaited day, but she knew from the time you were in her womb that you were born to die.
When the cross was laid on your shoulders, you kissed it and said to Luisa Piccarreta in the book, “The 24 Hours of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ”, “Adored Cross, finally, I embrace you. You were the longing of my heart, the martyrdom of my love. But you, O cross, have delayed until now, while my steps were always toward you. Holy Cross, you were the goal of my desires, the purpose of my existence down here. In you, I concentrate my whole being, in You I place all my children, and you will be their life, their light, defense, custody and strength. You will assist them in everything and will bring them gloriously to heaven.”
Yes, Jesus knew his mission, he was born to die but in that death was gained salvation for us all.
So as we get caught up with the festivities of the Christmas season, let us stop and pause with a thankful heart to the Savior of the world whose love knows no end, who wanted to be born as a small child to show us how to live. He showed us how to not only accept the cross but to desire it. The joy of this season is hinged on that one line in the Angelus. AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US.
COME LET US ADORE HIM!!
