Day 7: the thankful heart

Simbang Gabi
Gospel: Luke 1:46-56

I believe that with only 2 days to prepare till Christmas, we are slowly being prepared by the Holy Spirit to be living tabernacles like Mary who carried Jesus in her womb, and bring Christ into the world. Are we ready to take such role?

Let us examine our hearts if we are ready. Better yet, let us imitate the heart of Mary as she sings the Magnificat. Her heart is filled with recognition of the Lord, the source of her true happiness.

What constitutes a thankful heart? Mary's heart is a "lowly" heart, not a "proud" heart. It puts God at the top of everything. It provides an adequate space to let God in and learn His ways. A proud heart doesn't have the attention for others. It puts the self at the top.

Mary's heart is a "poor" heart, not a "rich" heart. A rich heart has always someone or something apart from God to cling on to. A poor heart is totally dependent on God.

Last but not the least, Mary's heart is a "giving" heart, always giving time to be available for others. A giving heart heals poverty and selfishness. Every person realizes his dignity with "givers", not with "takers". It is the giving heart that is the secret to eradicating poverty, not selfish hearts.

Eventually, a poor, humble, and giving heart is the very heart of Christ. Thus, the reason for Christmas. We are now prepared to celebrate Christmas.