S4, E8 - The Nativity Bible Study (Luke 2: 1-20)

The mission of the Ponder and Magnify Podcast is to seek an encounter with Jesus through praying the rosary, relying on the grace of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Mary. Join us as we dive into the Third Joyful Mystery of the Rosary! In this episode, Jess, John, and Fr. Hecktor discuss the account of the Nativity from Luke 2: 1-20. May we all be in Heaven one day! Praise be to God!

Transcript

Jessica: 0:04

Hello, and welcome to the Ponder and Magnify Podcast, where our mission is to seek an encounter with Jesus through praying the rosary, relying on the grace of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Mary. I am so happy that you are here. Welcome everyone to this episode. I am joined again here by John and Father Hecktor, and we are diving in in this episode to the third joyful mystery, the Nativity. Father Hecktor, would you open us up in prayer?

Fr. Hecktor: 0:34

Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lord, we thank you for being with us. Thank you for your presence, your love, the mercy that you show to us, the forgiveness of sins. The glory of God, every good thing that you've brought to be with us. Help us, Lord, to appreciate, acknowledge, and appreciate you being with us. And to share you with the world. The glory and light and grace that you wish all people to have. So we ask you to guide us, especially during this Advent season, to recognize the hope that you bring to us, the goodness. We make these prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Jessica: 1:19

Thank you, Father. All right, John, how are you doing tonight? What are you feeling thankful for?

John: 1:27

It's gonna be a little bit controversial, but I am thankful for the cold. There's just something about the cold that I like. Um there's a quiet, there's a stillness, there's a, I don't know, just a peacefulness when you're outside and it's cold. But it's also really great when you get inside and you're warm and you're thankful to be inside and be warm. So that's my unpopular hot take that you know being grateful for the cold. So Father Hecktor, what about you?

Fr. Hecktor: 1:56

Yeah, I kind of agree with you. As much as I sometimes don't like the cold, it does it this time of year, it doesn't seem right if it's not cold, especially with all the Christmas decorations going up. So that's always nice to see that outside. I'm grateful for um a nice, I was telling Jess this earlier, a nice I took the day off and I had a nice walk in a few state parks today. One of my favorite is Don Robinson State Park. It's out south of Eureka.

John: 2:20

Did you say a few? A few state parks?

Fr. Hecktor: 2:22

Yes, that one and a few others, yes. I found it just kind of in the area. Um, Don Robinson, Robertsville State Park, and then Route 66 State Park in Eureka. So just short hikes in each one. But I was grateful for the the cold too, because that tends to keep people inside. There's a lot of quiet, it's quieter there. I get the whole park to myself just about. There's a few other people there, but not nearly as many as normal. So I was very grateful for the nice, the peaceful walk, uh, the cold air that really woke me up. And just the beauty of nature that was around me. Even though there's no leaves on the trees, there's always in the wintertime a beauty to it, especially when the snow is on the ground. You can see the, you know, the contour and shape of the hills, and you can see, you know, more further away. And Don Robinson State Park is kind of up high. There's these beautiful views uh from there. And so I really appreciated that and enjoyed that today. So, Jess, how about you?

Jessica: 3:16

Well, I think the Holy Spirit's definitely working because I was on the same wavelength as both of you. I was gonna say I'm thankful for the snow. I particularly love when it snows when it's on the tree branches, because I feel like you get a whole deeper appreciation of the tree and all those branches, all the little ones coming off, and I love that. And I love how when it snows that everything's becomes more bright. To me, it's a reminder that all of creation is like meant to reflect God's glory. And to me the light reflecting off of the snow is really a sign of that. So yay for the cold weather in the snow, I guess.

John: 3:55

I guess my unpopular take was quite popular.

Jessica: 3:58

Yeah. Oh goodness.

Fr. Hecktor: 4:02

Well, if we were recording this in the summertime, it would be uh a little more controversial.

Jessica: 4:05

There we go. Oh okay, Father Hecktor, would you please read the scripture that we've chosen for the nativity?

Fr. Hecktor: 4:14

Yeah, glad to. This is a reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke. In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment when Carinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each into his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields, and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a Savior has been born, for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you, that you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly hosts with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. When the angels went away from them to heaven, 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 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. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Jessica: 6:29

Okay, Father Hecktor, after pausing the recording and taking some time to pause and reflect, what stood out to you?

Fr. Hecktor: 6:36

This time reading this gospel, what stood out to me was something about the the shepherds out in the middle of the night in their field, they're watching their sheep, and this amazing thing, they were chosen to witness this amazing, incredible announcement. And that's just the reason why it stood out to me. And this is I never thought about this before, but it reminded me tonight of this time... I'm not a shepherd, I didn't grow up a shepherd. I did grow up on a farm. But I remembered this one night I saw this amazing thing in the sky. I was all by myself out in a field. I was baling hay and it was getting late, and I was about just about to finish. And I think it was right after I finished. But before I went home, it was the strangest thing on three sides of me. There was like like different storms going on. One side there was like this white sheet lightning that I could see that was just like lighting up all the clouds that were over there. In front of me, I could see like white, bluish lightning bolts actually coming down uh in the distance. And then to the third side of me, I could see like the like an like these orangish colored bolts. So it looked like three different kinds of lightning all around me and these storms rolling all around me. But then I could look straight up above me, and and I was out in the middle of the Missouri River bottoms on this field where there's no other light around, and I looked straight above me and it was clear, and I could see stars, just so beautiful, bright and brilliant stars. And I just remember I felt, wow, this is the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. This is about 20 years ago. And at the time I was like, this is so incredible and so amazing that I can see this beautiful heavenly thing. And I get to be here by myself and just witness this beauty of God. I didn't think anything of any kind of announcement or anything or anything God was trying to say to me, except that he was just allowing me to witness the beauty of his creation and somehow witness the glory of God in that moment. And here that was just little old me back then, simple me doing some farming. And then these shepherds, same thing, little old them. Shepherds were, you know, of the lower class. I guess back then everybody kind of kept their distance because they smelled of their sheep all the time. But they're out there in the middle of the field, and they witnessed this amazing, beautiful thing, this glory of God appeared to them through these angels, this amazing announcement, and then so spectacular they have chosen to to see this amazing heavenly thing. And then they were allowed to go and see what the angels were talking about. So unexpected to see the God of all creation in a manger. How amazing is that that they were able to witness the angels proclaiming the glory of God and telling them, announcing to them this newborn Savior. And they were chosen to see that, and they got to witness that great amazing thing, and then go see Jesus Christ in the manger. How spectacular is that that God chooses us to, you know, little old us to see such amazing things. And I hope we continue all continue to keep searching for those amazing things that God does all around us, and we are able to be amazed every once in a while by it.

Jessica: 9:40

I like that too, Father, because it's a reminder that God enters into our ordinary. Like you were bailing hay, the shepherds were doing just their ordinary daily routine. And it's kind of cool to think that at any moment we could be open to the possibility of God's glory and that he is aware of our ordinary circumstances and makes those extraordinary in some way.

Fr. Hecktor: 10:02

Yeah.

Jessica: 10:02

It's beautiful.

John: 10:03

Yeah, and I feel like so many times too, I think it's a common question. That's one I ask. It's like, you know, God give me a sign. But you know, you also have to kind of look for it. And then when you do see it, you know, totally like latch on to it, not just let it go.

Fr. Hecktor: 10:20

There's always skepticism for me when I see it. Yeah.

John: 10:23

Yeah, it's like, well, was that this or was it that? It's like, well, I mean, that was pretty crazy timing, or that was pretty beautiful, or whatever it is. But yeah, I like that. Enters the ordinary.

Jessica: 10:36

John, what stuck out to you?

John: 10:39

Um, I kind of kept going back to the line about let me find it here, where it was talking about Mary after the shepherds showed up, and she said, where is it? Oh, yeah. And 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. And, you know, that stuck out to me just because you know, think about where this all started with like the Annunciation and then getting to this step where she has baby Jesus, and it's like, you know, the road wasn't easy. The road wasn't like this like simple cush line of events leading up to this. And then we were just talking about skepticism. And now I've I just can't imagine that feeling of one getting to hold Jesus, but then two, like also having like an additional confirmation of these shepherds coming and saying that an angel came to them and told them and how else would they have known and come and and just what that would have what that must have felt like for her and and just the fact that she kind of internalized it, pondered, and reflected on it to take it all in. I just can't imagine what that moment must have been like for her for a variety of reasons. I feel like she would want to like then tell the shepherds, like an angel came to you, an angel came to me too, like and and just like share in that experience. But for her to just kind of quietly keep marching on as she had was pretty cool.

Jessica: 12:10

Something I've never thought about before in all of these joyful mysteries, there is almost like a person that God gives to Mary as like affirmation. In the Annunciation, Gabriel also appears to Joseph, and so Joseph ends up knowing and understanding her situation. At the Visitation, the Holy Spirit overshadows Elizabeth, and then she calls her Mother of my Lord. Here we have the shepherds. In the presentation, we have Simeon and Anna, who are also so it's almost like God all along the way is giving I've never thought about this before, but giving affirmation through those around her of the great good that he is doing within her. It's kind of cool.

John: 12:57

Yeah.

Fr. Hecktor: 12:59

It's always nice to have, uh, even if um full of grace and she had these amazing things, uh, you know, the the angel appearing to her. But then, like John, you were saying, the difficulty of going through all of these different steps of her life, all the challenges that go along with being the mother of God. And to have those affirmations like that would certainly be, you know, on a human level, very encouraging to help her keep going. Yeah.

Jessica: 13:24

I feel like it really reflects too, just the tenderness of God giving us affirmation when we need it to, you know, help us get through whatever we're being called to.

John: 13:35

Anything stick out to you?

Jessica: 13:38

I had two things stick out to me. First of all, it was interesting to reflect on this having given birth myself recently so recently, I guess six, seven weeks ago. This time with this daughter, we delivered at a different hospital than usual or than with the other three. And when John and I walked in, we noticed there was a chapel. And we stepped into the chapel and it was so beautiful, this beautiful tabernacle and this beautiful Father Hecktor, how do you say it? Reliqu reliquary?

Fr. Hecktor: 14:09

Yep, you got it.

Jessica: 14:10

Okay, a beautiful reliquary with all of these saints. I felt like it was just very orchestrated by the Holy Spirit to be so close to the Eucharist right before giving birth. And I imagined, like while I was in labor, that my hospital room was directly above the chapel. I don't know if that was the case, but that's kind of what I imagined. And so it was a very prayerful kind of experience. And I the line, "This is my body given up for you", that was like a constant refrain for me, like through all my contractions, through all of it. It was a gift of like a participation, I feel like, in that that Jesus did and does for us. And just reflecting on that, it's cool to think that there's some connections here to the Eucharist, which like Bethlehem, correct me if I'm wrong, means house of bread. Is that correct?

Fr. Hecktor: 15:04

Um, yes.

Jessica: 15:05

Okay. House of bread, and Jesus is born and lay right into the manger, which is like an eating trough for animals. And so it's so beautiful that already the fact that Jesus is going to be offering himself is here, present, and that Mary is offering her body for Jesus, and in the same way, like he will be it's like the great exchange. Like she's offering "This is my body given up for you" at the same time that he's offering it for her, and how we're all called in our own way, and to like enter into that great exchange, I think is really beautiful.

Fr. Hecktor: 15:44

Yeah, it all fits together in such an amazing divine plan kind of way. It's it's pretty incredible how that that all makes sense like that. It all comes together. Yeah.

Jessica: 15:53

The other thing that really stuck out to me is um in verse 10, when the angel says, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all people." And we are recording this right now in the first week of Advent, but by the time this is released, it'll be the week of Christmas. So Advent will be ending and we'll be switching to the Christmas season. And I love just this reminder of the fact that this birth of Jesus is good news, which seems obvious. But sometimes during Advent and even the Christmas season, I feel this pressure to be festive and go do like all the holiday lights and Christmas shopping and all that kind of stuff. And there was one Advent a few years ago where it was a true period of suffering for me. I was carrying a lot of hard things internally, and people around me who I love very deeply, were also suffering. And it just felt it was just like begrudging to get through there. And it was one of the most remarkable Christmas Mass experiences that I had had because it was such a reminder that Jesus was born as Savior into our desperation. And that Christmas morning at Mass, I felt like it was such a relief to celebrate that Jesus entered the world. It kind of gave me a different perspective on just like how suffering during the Advent or Christmas season, which so many face and carry, there's a particular gift in that to really recognize Jesus for who he is. It helps you experience kind of his entering into the world in the way that he intended it. I don't know. That also just came to my mind too. Thank you, Holy Spirit, um for the gift of this conversation, for the gift of this scripture. Thank you for being there present on the original Christmas morning and orchestrating all of that then and being present to us now. What a gift to have the same the same spirit there then and here now. Thank you, God. We promise to be praying for you, and we ask humbly for you to be praying for us. May we all be in heaven together one day. Praise be to God.