Go in Haste
“The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.” (Luke 2:16)
“The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.” (Luke 2:16)
“Haste”. This is used a variety of times throughout the Bible and the first one that comes to mind is from the Visitation. Mary “went in haste” to visit her cousin Elizabeth, so filled with joy and excitement that she immediately walked 100 miles away to share the good news.
The trek from the fields where the angels appeared to the shepherds to the Church of the Nativity is only about a mile, but I imagine that still would have been quite a trip to take. Not only did they immediately act, as the Gospel indicates, after the angel appeared, but they would have left their sheep and abandoned their post for the night, all to see Jesus.
This can be an example for us. Are we filled with joy and excitement for the Lord like the shepherds? Are we willing to run to him even when it’s not easy and cast our other responsibilities aside for the moment?
This is a good time to examine how we approach the Lord. Going to Mass on Sundays can either be seen as a boring one-hour commitment we are required to make or can be a joyful event we look forward to. Going to adoration to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament can either be seen as a waste of time that we choose to pass on or can be a time of much-needed rest and deepening of our relationship with God regardless of how busy our schedules are. How will you approach Him?
Do I go in haste to see Jesus in prayer and the sacraments?
Lord, help me to be joyful about your presence in my life and approach you with haste. Amen.
Brittany DeHaan grew up in San Antonio, Texas and attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for college. She taught at a Catholic elementary school in Iowa for a year before moving to Florida in 2021. She taught at St. Paul Catholic School in St. Petersburg for two years before joining the pastoral center where she is currently the Communications Coordinator. She is passionate about her faith and loves to be involved in the diocese. She loves music, art, playing sports, and livestreaming Geoguessr in her free time.
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