The Mystery Which We Celebrate At Christmas

 

The giver of life has become one of us.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Christmas Day, Monday 25th December, 2023
Texts: Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98:1-6; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18 

Today’s gospel reading exposes the mystery which we celebrate at Christmas and human reception of the mystery. St. John tells us about the baby Jesus whom we celebrate. He says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” 

The author of the letter to the Hebrews affirms that Jesus did not lose His divine nature after taking flesh. It is clear in the words: “He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power.” St. John says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten Son from the Father.” 

All He was before taking flesh, He is after taking flesh. Hence,  the Baby Jesus is still the Word of God. He is also God and creator of all that is. We behold in the baby Jesus our God and creator. He upholds the universe by the word of His power. 

The giver of life has become one of us

The Baby Jesus is also a giver of life, for life is in Him. The giver of life has become one of us. He has come to give us life, which we lost by the disobedience of our first parents. God says, “Now they might reach out their hands and take also from the tree of life and eat and live forever”— therefore the Lord God sent them forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which they were taken” (Gen. 3: 22-23). Jesus says, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). 

The life He came to give us is eternal life. The eternal life is our light. This is true because it dispels the darkness of sin and death. Eternal life is possible when we are free from sin, the cause of death. Hence, in today’s second reading we read, “When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high”. By the light of Christ we triumph over wickedness, evil and sin. St. John says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” We cannot embrace Christ and still indulge in wickedness, evil and sin. 

The message has power to transform life

Those who grasp the mystery we proclaim at Christmas welcome the message with joy and run with it. The message has power to transform life. Hence, St. John says, “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” Prophet Isaiah says, “How beautiful upon the mountains 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.’” 

What do we proclaim to people at Christmas if not that our God reigns! Is it not the message of peace and salvation we proclaim! We should not proclaim it in words alone but also in deeds. The message will manifest in our deeds, if it flows from our hearts. If what we proclaim in words flow from our hearts, our feet we truly be beautiful; we truly welcome Christ. St. John tells us that some people do not accept Him. The implication is that they reject life, light, God their creator; they are cut off from their source. We are to pray for them. 

Prayer  

O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature and still more wonderfully restored it, grant, we pray, that we may share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity. Amen 

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke