Christ Came for Personal Relationship – Part I

By: Rick Hernandez

​Over 2,000 years ago, our Lord was born in a humble manger. Born of the Virgin Mary, Most Holy by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our Lord, God himself now dwelling amongst us… He could have chosen to come as a grown man in the fullness of His power, but that was not the Divine plan.
 
In all love and humility, Christ Jesus chose to be born, just like most of us, into a family. Our Lady Mary was specially selected so that our Lord would have a most exemplary mother. Our beloved Saint Joseph was chosen specifically so that our Lord would have a pious foster father from the House of David, a special protector. By arranging this situation for His birth, it is clear that God values the wholeness of the human family and understands perfectly the strength of the personal relationship. With His most blessed Incarnation, our Lord shows us that He came to establish an authentic, personal, and human relationship with us.
 
Think about this. Our beloved Jesus, the second person of the Trinity and the Lord of Heaven and Earth, chose to dwell amongst us. Fully present.
 
Our Lord of Lords and King of Kings is worthy of all recognition, adoration, and praise, yet the announcement of His birth was presented to only a few poor shepherds through the words of an Angel. Why?
 
Christ came for personal relationships, and His relationship to the poor and the humble is very special indeed. Christ teaches that the poor are first in the Kingdom of Heaven, and so it was that the humble shepherds were the people invited to the first-ever exposition of our Lord.
 
While Christ was in the manger, the shepherds from all the fields around Bethlehem came to witness the Lord Jesus and beheld Him for the first time, prostrating themselves before Him in adoration.

'… and the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told to them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.' (Luke 2:15-20)

​And we read that after their first Eucharistic Adoration, after they experienced that personal relationship, after that communion with the child Jesus, the shepherds went out everywhere glorifying and praising God. They were gifted with the clarity of recognition. They were gifted with the conviction of understanding. They were gifted with the fullness of awe, and for that, they rejoiced!
 
Now we, His people, have our Lord Jesus available to us all the time, at every Mass, whenever there is Eucharistic Exposition, whenever we have access to a Chapel, and even in personal prayer. Are we aware of Him? Are we in awe of our Lord? Do we go out and glorify Him with our lives? Do we rejoice in the discovery that our Lord is here to be with us? 
 
Today, like every day, is an opportunity to work on our relationship with God. We must learn from the shepherds how to be poor, humble, joyful, and in awe of our Lord. We must learn to approach and acknowledge God personally.
 
Do we give thanks to the Father for His love and mercy as Jesus taught us? Do we give thanks to Christ for His Word and His perfect sacrifice for us? Do we acknowledge and invite the guidance of the Holy Spirit into our daily lives? With all the love, trust, and humility that we can muster, let us take advantage of the opportunity this life presents us and invite God into our days. He is actively waiting for our call.
 
Let us pray: All-loving Lord, our beloved. You came into the world to redeem us and show us your perfect love. You came to establish a personal relationship with us. Help us then to see You in everything. Help us talk to You often, keep You in our thoughts, and ask for Your guidance and help. Help us see You walking with us in this life. Amen.

Rick Hernandez

Rick Hernandez is a Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament and lives in Trinity, Florida, with his wife Ivonne and their children.