By Santhiya Philomone csc –
Readings: Is 52:7-10; Heb 1:1-6; Jn 1:1-18
Today, we celebrate the greatest gift that is given by God to all humanity, which is the birth of Jesus. Christmas is not simply a celebration of the birth of baby Jesus, but a mystery of the incarnation of God. God planted his tent among us and remains with us as a human being forever.
The world did not know him, nor his own people or leaders of the Jews accepted him. As Christians, we have accepted him and therefore, our vocation is to make his light shine for the whole world. We are the children of God who are promised a new life by Jesus who revealed our Father’s love to us. Thus, Jesus is God’s greatest gift to us.
This Christmas invites me to bear true witness to Christ. Being a Christian is being in partnership with Jesus in his saving of the world.
Pope Francis says, ‘The Church is fruitful and a mother when she witnesses to Jesus Christ.’ Unless I am in friendship with Jesus and in partnership with him, my life will be dull. Pope Francis also says: ‘We are not a ‘religion’ of ideas, of pure theology and beautiful things or commandments. But we are people who follow Jesus Christ and bear witness, who want to bear witness to Jesus Christ and sometimes this witness leads to laying down our lives’ like John the Baptist and many other saints did.
On this Christmas day, you and I are called to renew our friendship with Christ who chose to be part of our sinful humanity. May the joy that was assured at the birth of Jesus Christ be in our hearts always.