On the Feast of the Incarnation we celebrate Almighty God’s decision to become man by assuming the body of a human being. The Heavenly Father announced to Mary that she was chosen to be the mother of God’s only begotten son. Mary had been immaculately conceived in her mother’s womb, and was made ready from her conception for this supreme moment in the history of the world.

One of the best ways to be faithful to the Lord is to take him at his word: “Be not afraid.” This is a call to courage. Jesus is asking you to be calm in the storm of life, not only for your own peace of mind, but for the well-being of your loved ones. You can decide to present the face of Christ to them, by showing them your faith in his strength.

It’s normal to worry about the future. The threat of war looms all around us. North Korea, Iran, Isis, they all pose serious threats to our peace. We don’t have a crystal ball to tell us what’s going to happen next, but we do have a body of wisdom that saves us from a lot of confusion and dread. It’s synopsized for us in the Apostle’s Creed.