Christmas: The Birth of True Light

 Reflection on Christmas Readings of Mass during the Day, December 25th, 2020

Texts: Is. 52:7-10; Ps. 98:1-6; Heb. 1:1-6; John 1:1-18

The Saviour is born to us, we have seen His glory, the glory He has with the Father from the beginning. He is the true light that has come to enlighten every man. As light He is the revelation of God. Being light He is the joy of the world.

In ages past, God made Himself known through the prophets and His imprint in creation, but now he has revealed Himself in His Son, Jesus Christ. 

God, out of love, He came into the world that we might behold Him face to face in his son. It is said of Him thus: "He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of His nature,  upholding the universe by his word of power." We rejoice for we have seen His glory, the glory as the son of

God.

God came into the world to make Himself visible to us. He reveals Himself to us by His deeds and words.  He says, "believe in the works I do; then you will know for certain that the Father is in Me and I am in the Father" (John 10:38). To show that the world was made through Him and so He has power over it, He walked on water, He changed water to wine. To show that He is the Lord of life, he raised the dead and He rose from the dead to prove his power over death. Those deeds show that He has power over nature and state of affairs. To show that He is God, He forgave sins and gave power to forgive sins to man; only God can forgive sins. He showed that He is God who fulfils human desires on two occasions when He fed four thousand men and five thousand men, without counting women and children. It is said of God thus: "You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing" (Ps. 145:16).

The Saviour has come to bring us good tidings, the message of peace, the message of salvation, and that our God reigns. Christ has come to drive away the darkness of discord to manifest peace; He has come to drive away the darkness of hatred to manifest love; he has come to deliver us from the kingdom of darkness to bring us into the kingdom of light.

Isaiah, in the first reading, says, "Listen, your watchmen lift up their voice, together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion." Our joy today is that we witness the birth of our Saviour. We have experienced the love and mercy of God in his birth, we are redeemed by his birth. Having experienced God's love, we are to go out to proclaim the good news to the world; our joy will not be complete if we do not share it with others. Joy loses its meaning if it is not shared. When joy is shared, it becomes beautiful. It is said, "How beautiful upon the mountain are the feet of him who brings good tidings, who publishes peace, who brings good tidings of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." Let us go and be witnesses to peace, salvation and the reign of God.

Lord our God, may the joy of our Saviour's birth abide with us forever. Amen.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR IN ADVANCE. MAY THE CELEBRATION OF OUR LORD'S BIRTH BRINGS YOU JOY AND PEACE. AMEN.

Rev. Fr. Andrew Olowomuke