Christmas Homily – 2003.
“ Today a Saviour has been born to us,
He is Christ the Lord” (cf. Lk.2: 11).
“today” has arrived and the most mind-boggling, most news-worthy event has taken place, that into the world of our “today” the eternal and all-loving God has intervened by sending His Son “ to make all things new”(cf. Mt. 19:28).
The world of today has put its own stamp on what Christmas means to the man, woman and child of this time; it has coloured this festive season in such a way that, for some, it has become meaningless, for others a commercial mega-feast, while for the cynical and sceptical it is a non-event to be avoided. But for those who are still open to a faith-dimension in their lives Christmas can mean only one thing. It is our “today” when a Saviour has been born to us. Yes, He is Christ, the Lord! The “today” of Christ’s birth is perennial, ever present, ever real, ever true. He has come in the form of an innocent Child to make a difference in our “ today ”, to reach out to those who are disposed to open to Him, to heal their hurts, to calm their fears, to bring them “ news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people” (Lk. 2: 10).
As we celebrate, in joy, the coming among us of the Son of God let us not forget the reason for His coming. He comes to each one as a personal Saviour, that means to save us by paying the price demanded of Him. Sin is such an abomination to His Father that only the Son could repair the damage done by it. Sin is responsible for the break down in our relations with God and with one another. The more we try to brush sin under the mat, the more we try to pretend that it is not a reality in our lives, the more our relations with God and with one another suffer. We only have to look around us to be aware of the horrific things that are happening in our relations with one another. The violence and abuse, the wars and neglect, the corruption and wrongdoing are all symptomatic of a broken humanity in which sin is endemic. And, if that is the way we treat one another, what of our relations with the God who created us to love and adore Him? What is the hope for this broken humanity?
It is to be found in the “today” of our lives: “ Today a Saviour has been born to us” (cf. Lk. 2:11). Yes, this Saviour, Jesus Christ, born in the humble surroundings of a stable in Bethlehem, is our “today”, our “God with us”, our “Emmanuel”. He comes today to meet us as we are, not as we think we should be. And because there is neither “yesterday” nor “tomorrow” for Him, He is present to each one of us each day of our lives, making everyday our “ today “, that is, our opportunity to welcome Him into our lives. If we make everyday our “today” then the Saviour is born to us everyday, He Christ the Lord who can transform our yesterdays and tomorrows into present moments of joy. It only requires us to take Him seriously and not to make of His Birthday an occasion for materialistic overindulgence. Can we make the Birth of this Child an everyday event in our lives, an occasion for opening our minds and hearts to Him as He stretches out His arms towards us in love, those very arms which He is prepared, everyday, to stretch out on a cross to be our Saviour?
The joy of Christmas is a gift from the Child of Bethlehem. My prayer is that each one of you and all who celebrate Christmas may experience that interior joy which far surpasses anything the world can offer. It is Jesus Himself who, when asking His followers to remain in His love, said: “ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy be complete” (Jn. 15: 11). May this “ news of great joy that today a Saviour has been born to us”(Lk. 2:11) touch your lives in such a way that all your “ yesterdays” may be covered over by the mantel of His mercy, all your “ tomorrows” may be illumined by the Light of His Spirit and all your “ todays” may reflect the beauty of His presence in your lives.
A Happy and a Blessed Christmas to you, one and all! My greeting goes especially to your children who, in the innocence of their gaze at the Christ-Child in the Crib, give to the world a glimpse of the true meaning of this most wonderful Feast – the presence of the God-Child in human history.
As we gather, with the children, at the crib in these coming days may we all be touched by the freedom of conscience portrayed by the Virgin Mother, who joyfully welcomed God’s Will in her life when she said: “ Let what you have said be done to me” (Lk. 1: 38). May she enable each one of us to respond generously to the message of Christmas and re-commit ourselves, in discipleship, to the “Saviour who has been born to us – Christ the Lord” (cf. Lk. 2:11).
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