A Christmas Homily
Merry Christmas! We hear in our first reading that the sentinels bearing good news shout for joy, saying “Your God is King,” and with them we too should be shouting for joy.
Of course on Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus. There are different sets of readings for Christmas, depending on the time of day we are celebrating this great event of our salvation. In the Christmas Vigil Mass the gospel reading from St. Matthew starts with the genealogy of Jesus and concludes with the narrative of his birth in a humble stable in Bethlehem. In this account of Jesus’ birth, the emphasis is on highlighting Jesus’ humanity; how God Himself came among us, sharing in our human nature. In the gospel reading we hear in the Christmas Day Mass the Prologue of St. John’s Gospel is proclaimed. This is the great hymn about the Eternal Word, God the Son, making His dwelling among us. This passage seems to place the emphasis on the Divinity of Christ.
So, who is Jesus, whose birth we celebrate with great joy today? He is the God-Man. He is the Second Person of the Trinity who humbled Himself to take on our human nature; as Scripture says, “A man like us in all things but sin.” Today we celebrate that at a point in time God takes on a finite human nature and lives a life on earth. Why would God, who needs nothing from us, do this? I would like to propose several reasons.
First, Jesus came to show us how we should live. Too many people seem to forget that Jesus has a real human nature. They think, “Well it was easy for Him because He’s God.” While it is true Jesus was not burdened with the consequences of Original Sin, He faced the same challenges that we face, felt the same emotions we feel. As the Second Vatican Council taught, Jesus reveals Man to himself.
Second, Jesus was born to show us His love for us. God does not need us. He is perfectly complete in Himself. He could have just written us, and the rest of creation, off as having rejected Him; even caused us to cease to exist. But He loves us. HE LOVES US! He not only knows what will truly make us happy, but He never stops offering us the grace to accept the gift of His love. God gives all of Himself in love for us. We are called to give all of ourselves in love to Him.
Third, Jesus came to repair and renew human nature. Let’s face it, we messed up. God offered us real, everlasting life and happiness, and instead of receiving His gift, we tried to take it. We sinned. But God did not give up on us. By Jesus’ life and death he in some way takes our sins onto Himself and abolishes them.
Fourthly, Jesus is born for us to share His Spirit with us. In doing so He gives us a new source of life. Eternal life, actually sharing in His Divine Life.
During this Christmas season make a special effort to get to know Jesus even more intimately. Renew and deepen your friendship, your life with Him. He will fill you with Eternal Joy.
