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 We are all awaiting to make this year’s Christmas our best ever. If we reflect what Christmas really is, then we should realize that it is not something that happened many years ago in that far off land. Christmas is something that is happening – it means not only that God became man and was born of a human infant on that first night in Bethlehem, but also that He intended to be born in us provided we die to sin and allow the life that is HIM, as the divine vine, to flow into us the human branches.
Hence, a question to ask ourselves: What does it profit Christ to be born in Bethlehem a thousand years ago if He is not born in our hearts? If we were good and progressive there would have been no need for Christ to come on earth to make men good. For those who are well does not need a doctor. If we were right with the world, God would have stayed in heaven. But His presence to be born in the crib in Bethlehem is a witness not to our progress, but to our misery and suffering.
Our late Pope John Paul II in one of his general audience said: “Christmas is the feast of the family, gathered around the crib and the Christmas tree, the traditional symbols that discovers that is called to be the sanctuary of life and love. Christmas is the feast of Children, because it reveals the full message of every human birth, and the joy which accompanies the birth of the Messiah is thus seen to be the foundation and fulfillment of joy at every child born into the world. Christmas is the feast of peace, because true peace has come down to us from heaven and the skies rain down sweetness all over the world. Christmas is also the feast of gifts, where we can imagine the joy of those, both children and adults who receiving a Christmas gift will feel loved and committed to making themselves a gift, like the child that the virgin shows us in the crib”.
Christmas is a season of exchanging gifts with relatives and friends. But Christmas day is just one day. Before the season is over, children will have discarded their toys. Grown-ups will be tired of showing their presents to one another, but let us remember that our Lord came to this poor earth of ours to exchange gifts with each one of us. Baby Jesus says to us, “You give me your humanity and I will give you my divinity; you give me your time and I will give you my eternity; you give me your weary body and I give you redemption; you give me your broken heart and I will give you love; you give me y our nothingness and I will give you my all”.
Jesus reminds us that He has come to stay with us forever. So this year as we celebrate His birthday in the year 2010, let us promise to keep him more and more with us. Let us feel that he has grown in our hearts and our lives and show His presence through greater devotion, gentleness and generosity, as we deal with others, showing humility and patience in our daily rubs and worries of life.
Then only we will be proudly be able to say that, The Christmas of 2010 has been our best Christmas ever. |
