God and His stars

Woke up earlier than usual Friday morning and realized, after reading FB posts of friends, that I missed another spectacular show of stars: the Geminid meteor shower, as Earth passed through the orbit of an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon.

As it was still dark, around 4:45 am Japan Time (3:35am , Philippine Time), I peered through our glass window and saw some stars still out in the sky. As I looked around and thought there were more stars out this time than usual- I felt more regret not waiting up earlier to watch the meteor shower.

Then, lo and behold! Right before my eyes, a shooting star streaked by!!! Wow, did the Lord just send me one shooting star? What a blessing, I could not help repeating, thank you Lord for the wonderful star You sent my way!!!

And since it was still dark and the stars were still up shining brightly, and hoping to catch more falling stars, I moved to another room to have a wider window view of the sky. However, the cold winter temperature (-4 degrees Celsius) promptly sent me back to the living room, which turned out to be a blessing.

For seated comfortably between the warm heater and the table where we placed our Belen and Christmas tree and gazing once again up where the stars where, came God’s second gift of another shooting star for me!!!

Of course, for sure, so many other people all throughout the world enjoyed their share of this beautiful meteor shower. Thank God for truly allowing me to catch two of His falling stars this time around!

And I felt so much peace after experiencing that meteor shower! With the Baby Jesus by my side, surrounded by Mama Mary and Blessed Joseph, the 3 kings and a shepherd and sheep, came the vivid memory of another bright star that shown on the manger in Bethlehem. God gave me my own Bethlehem experience when He sent me His two stars this early December 14th morning!

“While they were there, the time came for her to have her child…She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger… 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 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: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:6-14).

“Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea…Soon afterward, some men who studied the stars came from the East to Jerusalem and asked, “ where is the baby born to be king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2).“We saw his star when it came up in the east and we have come to worship him…and on their way they saw the same star they had seen in the East. When they saw it, how happy they were, what joy was theirs!” (Matthew2-9-10)

The joy and happiness they felt and that I felt came from seeing God before our eyes: God spoke to me and said, “Look up to the heavens and realize that I am there for you, with My peace and love. And look, I sent My only beloved Son on earth for you, again, always, with our peace and love.”

Thank you so much Lord for your gifts of stars, your love, peace, and presence, and for sharing with me today that blessed personal Bethlehem experience, Amen.

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