REDEMPTORISTINE NUNS of NEW YORK, Inc.

The holidays are all about traditions: The Christmas trees, cookies, It’s A Wonderful Life, Scrooge, the shopping frenzy, carols...   A week after Christmas it’s the dropping of the Times Square Ball, Auld Lang Syne and creamed herring!  

For some, at this time of year, Jesus is an afterthought. Christmas? Oh, yeah, Jesus’s birth.     

Jesus incarnation is more than a tradition.  Jesus, permeated in the Jewish culture, is the fulfillment of prophecies from of old: Jesus was born of the Holy Mother of God in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14)     The wise men, in Matthew’s Gospel, were foretold in Isaiah. See 60:3,5,6  “Nations shall walk by your light, kings by the radiance... on camels from Sheba they shall come bearings gold and frankincense, proclaiming the praises of the Lord ”   In the book of Numbers 24:17 the Prophet Balaam prophesied that “A star shall advance from Jacob,” This star is Christ the King, himself. In 1 Chronicles 16:29 “Give to the Lord the glory due his name! Bring gifts, and come before him; bow down to the Lord, splendid in holiness.” All these echo Matthew 2:11 “On entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did Him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (King, God and Redeemer).  

On New Year’s Eve, it is our tradition to do Him homage by selecting a Title of Our Lady as our helper and guide, a Patron Saint to inspire us, a quote from our Rule to ponder and an Intention to pray for throughout the year.   

We begin this New Year by adoring our Incarnate God, Christ the King and Redeemer. And rely on the maternal help of Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother.  Let us make this our daily tradition.  

"Life for me is Christ." Phil1:21

Redemptoristine Nuns are a worldwide monastic contemplative Order who strive to be a living memorial, an active participant of Jesus' life in today’s Church for the salvation of the world.  The Sisters celebrate this life of prayer, praise and intercession in the name of all, and in support of the missionary activity of the Redemptorist priests and brothers.