The truth hidden in the mystery of Christmas

A close observation reveals that at Christmas time, most creatures make their presence felt.  Why is it so?  The reason will speak for itself in the course of this reflection.  It is very noticeable that as the season of the fall departs, the winter, which has the annual tradition of hosting the celebration of the birthday of Jesus Christ, takes the stage with its attendants - the cold weather, the snow, the fog, the ice, and the frozen rain.  In some places, the deer and other wild animals go into their different hidings for their own celebration of this great event.  Trees shed their leaves to make sure they survive the harsh weather in order to take part in the celebration.  The Christmas trees, the most privileged of all trees, play an important role in this period in order to merit the name—Christmas trees.  They are positioned in prominent places in many Churches, public and private homes and are elegantly decorated with different colored lights, beads and ornaments.  The reactions of these lower creatures are biblically rooted in these words:  “The floods clap their hands, all the trees of the world sing for joy, and many coastlands are glad (cf. Ps 96:12, 97:1, 98:8).

On the part of the human family, Christians prepare spiritually, materially and socially to welcome the Infant Jesus.  At night, the cities greet all with beaming and glittering decorated lights.  The atmosphere wears such a festive mode that if the blind who can not see the decorated homes, streets and cities in their glittering lights, hear the seasonal music.  In the same way, the deaf who can not hear the seasonal music,  see all the decorations.  The interest and the attentions of the media at this time are mostly on this worldwide celebration.

The reason for all the reactions from the various creatures of God is that every age naturally takes much interest in sharing the joy the Angels brought to the shepherds at that Midnight when they announced to them the birth of the infant Jesus saying:  “For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord” (LK 2: 11).  At the conclusion of that message, the Angels sang: Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests (Lk 2: 14).  This joy has ever continued to dominate the Christmas celebration.

The primary cause of this joy is that the child born is Emmanuel, God-with-us.  His presence in the world fills the earth with grace.  In the language of Pope Benedict XVI, “The earth is restored to good order by virtue of the fact that it is opened to God, it obtains its true light anew, and in the harmony between human will and divine will, in the unification of height and depth, it regains its beauty and dignity.  Thus Christmas is the feast of restored creation.”  In other words, heaven and earth are once more united.  The separation of the human family from the divine family of Father, Son and the Holy Spirit caused by the sin of Adam and Eve was once again united through the birth of a God-man.  Man is now united to God.  Last year someone sent me a Christmas card that gives further reasons for our joy.  It reads “Because a child was born that holy night so long ago…  Because He came to pay sins’ price… Because He loves us so much…  Because He is the greatest gift the world will ever know.  Our hearts rejoice at Christmas and always.”

The fact that Christ is the greatest gift the world will ever know reveals the truth hidden in the mystery of Christmas.  Through his birth, death and resurrection our salvation became a reality.  Thus, our salvation was initiated through his birth.  We would have suffered eternal death, had he not been born in time. We would have never been freed from sinful flesh, had he not taken on himself the likeness of sinful flesh.  We would have suffered from everlasting unhappiness, had it not been for his mercy.  We would never have returned to life, had he not shared our death.  We would have been lost if he had not hastened to our aid.  We would have perished, had he not come.

We should hold onto this hidden truth.  It is this hidden truth that constitutes the essence of our joy at Christmas.  We should not allow this Christmas joy and this hidden truth to be thrown away with Christmas trees into the garbage or melt away with the snow, fog, and the ice after this season.  For the infant Jesus, whom we welcome at Christmas is the person we have in the Blessed Eucharist where he is present body, soul and divinity.  He is present in the words we read and hear during the liturgy of the word.  He is present in the priest who is configured to him and therefore acts in his person and name.  He is in every one of us baptized because we are the temples of the Holy Spirit.  Finally he joins us whenever we gather in his name.  Therefore we should take seriously these words of Pope Leo the great: “Christian remember your dignity and know that you share in God’s own nature, do not return by sin to your former base condition.  Bear in mind who is your head and of whose body you are a member.  Do not forget that you have been restored from the power of darkness, and brought into the light of God’s kingdom.  Through the sacrament of baptism you have become a temple of the Holy Spirit.  Do not drive away so great a guest by evil conduct and become again a slave to the devil, for your liberty was bought by the blood of Christ.”  In other words, a meaningful Christmas celebration lies in the fact that we, after our earthly lives, benefit in the saving mystery of Christ.

Enjoy your Christmas celebrations in the spirit of the Lord with peace and joy.

Fr. Desmond