Christmas Day, 25 December 2021
Christmas Day, 25 December 2021 – The Word was made flesh, he lived among us and we saw his glory.
Is 52:7-10; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18 (Mass during the day)
Today we celebrate the birth in our world of Jesus Christ, who was with God before all ages. His birth opens for us a new identity as God’s children.
Is 52:7-10. A prophecy describing the joy of the faithful watchmen, when they see the Lord, their Saviour, face to face. The whole world will see the saving work of God.
Heb 1:1-6. The son born of Mary is the eternal Son of the Father, the image of the invisible God, and the one through whom all things were made.
Jn 1:1-18. The opening words of Saint John’s Gospel which describes in sublime terms the eternal nature of the Word who in his incarnation became the source of light and life for all men.
Light shines in darkness (adapted from John Walsh)
For the people of the Old Testament, light and darkness were more than natural phenomena. They tended to associate them often with virtue and wickedness in the community, and also with the day of the Lord’s coming. Indeed, at Qumran on the Dead Sea shoreline, during the life-time of Jesus, light and darkness were seen as two opposing kingdoms, and the sun’s victory over darkness was held to be a symbol of the triumph of faith over the blind pursuit of evil. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light.” So begins the Bible account of the first creation, and when it was ended, “God saw all that he had made, and indeed it was very good.”
But this original goodness and justice was to be shattered, because our first parents abused the freedom of will granted them by God, so that once again, as the prophet Isaiah says “darkness came to cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples.” (Is 60:2), To dispel this darkness, a new creation was needed, and the ideal of goodness and perfection became a living reality, when the light of Christ came into the world. “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; for those who lived in a land of deep shadow a light has shone” (Is 9:2). For God, who had created man in his own image and likeness, had now identified with the human race, and by assuming the body of a child in the image of man, had lowered himself and become one of us.)
It has become a tradition to associate snow with Christmas, and when it does come, shrouding everything with its white mantle, a stillness settles over the countryside, especially at night-time. That combination of darkness and stillness was the setting for the first Christmas. As the Book of Wisdom states, “When all things were in quiet silence, and the night was in the middle of her course, your almighty Word leaped down from heaven, from your royal throne” (Wis 18:14f). It was as if God was saying a second time, “Let there be light” – let the gloom and darkness, which to such an extent exemplify the fallen and corrupt nature of the human race, be lifted, ushering in a new age of glory to God and peace on earth among all its people. And so an angel of the Lord appeared to some humble shepherds tending their flocks in the enveloping darkness, and the brightness of the Lord shone round them. “Do not be afraid,” the angel reassured them. “Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”
We too must listen, listen in the stillness of our hearts, and, like the shepherds, we must hasten, and with eagerness draw near to Christ. “And the shepherds came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.” They “found” implies effort on their part; they had to search. But their search was not in vain. “And seeing, they understood the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child.”
We too must search for Christ, hasten to him with eagerness, and in the quiet times of prayer, when we are alone with God, understanding of our need for Christ will come to us. St Augustine says that prior to conceiving Christ in her womb, Mary first conceived him in her heart, spiritually, by her faith. The Church is referred to as the Spouse of Christ; its members called to be sisters and brothers of Christ. It is more difficult, Augustine goes on, to understand that the Church is the Mother of Christ. But this is also true, and it was Christ himself who first gave it that title, when he declared, “Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, is my brother and sister and mother” (Mt 12:50). The Church is the Mother of Christ in that, by obedience to the will of the Father, she brings Christ into being in the world. But we, its members, are the Church, and so we can give birth to Christ, become mothers of Christ, in this spiritual way, by doing God’s holy will.
The Rudolf Gospel
Santa’s most popular reindeer by far is Rudolf, the famous red-nosed reindeer, who according to the popular song, had a very shiny nose… Then, as every child knows, one foggy Christmas eve Santa came to say: “Rudolf with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?” The story of Rudolf is the story of salvation. It is our story both as individuals and as the human family. In our own case it is not Santa who saves us but the Child Jesus.
To begin with, Rudolf was a misfit. Compared to the image of the ideal reindeer we can say that something was definitely wrong with him. What is more, he was not in any position to help himself. So are we all, misfits, as the Bible tells us. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “All we like sheep have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6). Like lost sheep we are not in a position to help ourselves. Rudolf could not help himself. All that his fellow reindeer did was to makes things worse for him. Only one person could help him, Santa, the messenger from heaven.
Today we celebrate the birth of the Messenger from heaven. As we read in today’s gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14). He comes to liberate us from the human predicament, our sinfulness. For it is sin that mars and disfigures the beautiful image of God that we all are. Sin turns us into a despicable Rudolf, the red-nosed reindeer. But the heavenly Messenger comes, not to take away the red nose but to declare to us the Good News that we are acceptable to God even with the red nose. Rudolf’s red nose was a defect. But Santa chose him precisely on account of that. The heavenly Messenger has the ability to turn the defects and red noses of our tainted humanity into assets for the service of God. Jesus is this heavenly messenger.
What makes the reindeer gospel so poignant is that Santa does not use his magic wand to heal Rudolf of his red nose defect. He let him go on with the red nose even as his chosen reindeer. Certainly Rudolf would have wanted nothing so much as to be a normal reindeer like all the rest. Similarly Jesus does not simply make us good men and women, rather he makes us into people who can use all their strengths and defects to the service and the glory of God. This is the proof to us that it is not by our own will power that we are able to become children of God. It is by God’s grace, by God’s unmerited and unconditional love of us. As God tells St Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
How does the grace of God transform us? God’s grace works two things in us: enlightenment and empowerment. “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). God’s truth enlightens us and God grace empowers us. God’s truth enlightens us to see ourselves and our world in a new light. It is a word that brings reassurance, affirmation and hope. You can imagine how Rudolf felt when he heard the words of Santa, “Rudolf with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?” That is why we call it the Good News. It is news that is liberating and empowering. It empowers us by changing our former disposition of insecurity, despair and hopelessness into that of blessed assurance, new hope and enthusiasm in the Lord’s service.
Like Rudolf before Santa, let us today listen to the Message that the Child Jesus brings us, let us commit ourselves into his service without looking back, even when we do not know where the journey will lead us, knowing one thing for sure: that the grace of God will supply the strength we need for the long journey of faith ahead. “For to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God” (John 1:12).
First Reading: Book of Isaiah 52:7-10
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion.
Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Second Reading: Hebrews 1:1-6
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”? And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
Gospel: John 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John . He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”)
From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
Readings: Christmas Day…
Is it a good idea to begin a book with its climax? And could anything be more climactic than the Johannine Prologue, with its majestic statement summing up the entire meaning of Jesus and of salvation: ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us’ (Jn 1:14). Well, the Johannine eagle will ferry us over many heights and depths, as we traverse this infinite and inexhaustible Gospel (which grows with its readers to the degree that they can tune in to its mystical element), and will bring us in the end to a still greater climax. Not the passion and resurrection narrative, but a little phrase in the last discourse: ‘Love one another’ (Jn 15:12, 17; cf. 1 Jn 3:11; 4:7). This new commandment is the practical counterpart of the theological vision of the Prologue. Christmas is a time to use the heart and to put forth the energies of love, through giving to those in need, or simply by thinking of thoughtful gestures that can allay or end coldness and alienation in family relationships. Everything in this feast invites us to love and enables us to love.
Recall what a golden, glowing day it was for us as children, and how eagerly it was expected. If we invite Christ to lodge in our hearts, as once among the animals at Bethlehem, we can have the golden glow of Christmas all the year round. There were saints who lived like that, ablaze with love even in their darkest hours: Francis of Assisi, Francis de Sales, Thérèse de Lisieux. They were a blessing to all they met, not by their words or acts, however impressive, but simply by who they were. Among the Apostles, it is of St John that this most holds true. Different epithets name the relationship of the apostles and disciples to Jesus: penitent, faithful, trusted, blessed, and to John is given the singular and heart-melting title ‘beloved.’
Where Peter and Paul stand on faith, John’s relation to Jesus is concentrated in the stance of steady, intense, ever-renewed love, which enabled him to see into the unfathomable identity of the Word Incarnate deeper than anyone else. ‘No one has seen God at any time. The only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known’ (Jn 1:18). Jesus asks his disciples to model their relation of faith, love, and obedience to him on his own relationship to the Father who sent him. John achieves this to perfection, lying in the bosom of Jesus as the eternal Word lies always in the bosom of the Father.
It is not only in Jn 1:18 that we learn this, for that last verse of the Prologue echoes the first: ‘the Word was with God.’ The ‘with’ here is the very relational preposition ‘pros,’ suggesting the the Word was ‘toward’ God. Indeed Origen of Alexandria says the Word is divine because of this primordial leaning on God, participation in God. The divine Word is not an impersonal emanation as in Neoplatonism but proceeds in a loving generation as the eternal Son. This is the unimaginable background of the countless references in the Gospel to Jesus’s intimate relation to the Father.
No need to scale a ladder to heaven and peer into the mystery of the Trinity up there. The mystery has come down to earth and dwells among us. Christmas is the feast in which heaven kisses earth, and the birth in time of a human child resonates with the eternal birth of the divine Word. Faith appreciates this, and may even defend the truth of the Incarnation with much theological huffing and puffing. But love understands this, in its joy over a newborn child, in its wide-reaching compassion for those for whom the light of Bethlehem shines, in its readiness, eventually, to lay down its life as Jesus did, in the supreme expression of love. To abide in love is to abide in God (1 Jn 4:16). So when we love one another the barriers between heaven and earth fall, we become children of God (cf. Jn 1:12), claiming our divine birthright, and we rejoice in this together.
Readings: Christmas Day…
Thanks so much Joe O’Leary, your response is so enlightening.
Anselm-Medan, Indonesia
Readings Christmas Day…
Key Message:
God came longing for us from Heaven to the manger.
Can we long for Him from earth to Heaven?
Homily:
The takeaway from the first reading:
“See, the LORD proclaims to the ends of the earth: say to daughter Zion, your saviour comes! Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him.”
God introduces His Son to us as “Our Saviour”. As soon as we hear Christ our Saviour, we immediately imagine our Jesus hanging on the cross, taking the punishment for all our sins so that we can go to Heaven when we die. Actually, He has more rewards for us. He is the salvation from our sufferings on earth too. God does not want us to lead a dragging and bragging life here on earth and at last, somehow make it to Heaven. He wants us to live peacefully and joyously on earth and then make a glorious trip to Heaven, maybe in chariots or in clouds!!
God visited us because we are constantly in God’s mind!!
The takeaway from the second reading:
When Adam and Eve were walking along with God in the Garden of Eden, they were not aware of calling God as “Our Father”. God’s only Son, Jesus Christ, came to earth and introduced the Lord, God as ‘Our Father’, His Mother as ‘our Mother’ and Himself as ‘Our Brother’. Our Lord Jesus has made us heirs of the family of Almighty God.
Jesus granted us the privilege to become children of Almighty God!!
The takeaway from the Gospel reading:
Let us do some Q&A for Christmas!!
Why did our Lord Jesus come to the world?
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Our Almighty Father loved us so much that He could not withhold His only Son, but gifted Him just for us. Is there anyone who can love us more than our dear God? Are we truly appreciating the love of our Almighty Papa?
When did God start loving us so much?
Ephesians 1:4 -> “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world…”
Even before the creation of the world, God chose us. We were in God’s mind, even before we ever existed. God wanted the best world for us to live in, hence He created a world beyond our human comprehension. The universe came into existence just because our Abba Father wanted to create a great dwelling place for us.
Why did God create us?
Since God is full of love, in His overflowing love He wanted to show His love. So there we are, created to receive the love of God and to love Him wholeheartedly. God wanted to have a whole family in Heaven and earth to love Him and receive His abundance of love as read in Ephesians 3:14 – “..I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named”.
When did we become part of the family of God our Father?
Our Lord Jesus came to the world so that whosoever believes in Him can become children of God. Our Lord Jesus taught us to call God, “Our Father”.
What is the best gift of our Heavenly Father to us?
Children believe that Santa Claus presents them with Christmas gifts when they are sleeping while parents take up the role of Santa Claus for their kids. Similarly, Our Almighty Father has given the greatest gift, His own Son “Jesus” for us.
List a few similarities between the Son and “Our Father”:
1. After the first sin, God missed the walk with His children, Mrs. & Mr. Adam in the cool of the day in the Garden of Eden. As the Lord Jesus explains the heart of God in the story of the prodigal son, our loving Father would have longed for our return. Our loving Lord Jesus wanted to walk with His children. In the whole of the New Testament, we see that our Lord Jesus walked with His people, going from place to place.
2. God talked with Mrs & Mr. Adam before the first sin. We are not sure what was the subject of their conversation (The Holy Bible does not talk on that topic), but certainly, God would have happily showered His love towards them, maybe like how we caress our little children. Our Lord Jesus continued the chats, by showing how much our Almighty Father loves us with many parables. Probably our Almighty God also must have been a good storyteller, so that His Son Jesus also did likewise.
3. God works!! In the Old Testament, God worked for six days and God rested on the seventh day. In the Holy Bible, we read that the first miracle done by Jesus was changing water into wine. Our Lord Jesus never hesitated to work. Since there was no time for the preparation of wine and since only a miracle could help there, Jesus did the miracle. Prior to this occasion, our Lord Jesus supported Mother Mary by carrying out the trade taught by His foster father, Saint Joseph. Through our Lord Jesus was capable of doing miracles, He still worked hard and earned His living.
4. God likes to create or cook food!! God created different kinds of fruit-bearing trees and plants for our food. Jesus cooked fish and gave it to His disciples. Both garden and kitchen are God’s favourites!!
5. God wants to bless us!! God created the human race and blessed them. We see that God blessed Abraham and the blessings continued in his lineage. Similarly, our Lord Jesus always blessed His people. He forgave every sinner who asked forgiveness and cured every sick person. There was no devil who was not frightened of our Lord Jesus. Our Lord Jesus removed all the curses from us on the cross, did penance for all our sins, and finally went to Heaven to build mansions for us there. Instead of thinking about the lost Garden of Eden, now we can wonder about the beautiful mansions our Lord Jesus is building for us in Heaven.
Tips for enjoying Christmas:
1. Sometimes we are not able to enjoy the joy of Christmas. It may be true that our needs are yet to be met. Are we feeling sad that we are weak financially and we are being rejected by everyone we approach for help? Do we not know when our problems are going to be solved? Our Baby Jesus is smiling and kissing you from a simple manger surrounded by cows and goats, saying, “I am with you”. Mother Mary and Saint Joseph did not become rich after Jesus was born. But they were very happy and joyful about having Baby Jesus with them. God’s plan for them was not to have a rich comfortable life, but a fruitful one. When we face scarcity, let us remember that our Baby Jesus was also born in a manger only. When we invite Him, He will be born in our manger too. When the time is right, God will change our poverty to luxury.
2. The whole of the nativity story explains that God has equipped us to face challenging situations in our life. Mamma Mary travelled from place to place on a donkey in the final stages of pregnancy. Saint Joseph met with rejection at such a critical juncture. No one gave him a room. Baby Jesus did not have a house of His own to be born. God our loving Father gave the courage for the Holy Family to face their challenges, He will also give us the same courage.
3. Let us not burden ourselves but celebrate Christmas in a peaceful way. Nowadays people have taken up the tradition of buying gifts for Christmas even when they need to take out a loan. Then, for the next few months they need to work to clear off the loan. Let us do only what our financial budget allows us to do. If we are not able to buy gifts for persons for whom we generally buy, we can talk to them openly and say once our situations are better, we will buy for them.
God gave His only Son for the love of us. Won’t He do the best for us? Let us not worry and be happy!!
Christmas Day Readings:
Brightest of star in the darkest of night
The Spirit of God revealing His light
Innocence lay on a bed of hay
Is this what his gentle eyes do say?
All wise men play their part,
When searching for His light within the dark
Gold Frankincense and Myrrh
Within the righteous heart do stir
Truth is love this must be understood
No manmade decree
It is the action of Truth that sets mankind free
Deception and deceit are trodden upon
By His holy feet
Humble of heart, placid moon, twinkling star
All mankind shall know who you are
May the light of the new-born Jesus
Dwell in our hearts
May its radiance embellish its self within us
And the gift of His joy/peace (Holy Spirit) be ours
This Christmas time and always
kevin your brother
In Christ