Merry Christmas

12-24-2023Weekly ReflectionFr. Aruldoss

Dear People of God,

First of all, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. How are all in your family? I pray at the Altar of Christ for your happiness and good health. Many more blessings of God be with you all.

There is a little difference in this year. Both the fourth week of Advent and the Christmas Eve fall on the same day. So, I would like to write here about Christmas, not about the readings of fourth week of Advent.

Christmas is a milestone in the history of our salvation. So, it is lovely to know that God is with us. The central message of Christmas is the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we have every reason to be happy because the prince of peace is born.

Isaiah proclaims: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the one who brings the Good News.” (Is: 52:7) Indeed, the good news himself is among us. It is the good news of love, peace, hope, happiness, and salvation.

The gospel of John (1:1-18) concisely gives us the synopsis of what happened on the birth day of Jesus. “The Word was with God…The Word was made flesh, He lived among us, and we saw His glory.” Today, God the Son has revealed God the Father. The Word that was with the Father as Spirit is now with us both as flesh, as well as spirit.

What we celebrate today is love because: “…God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son (Jn 3: 16). We must be ready to share this love. God sent Christ out of love. Christ accepted to come to us because of his love for us. Also, Mary and Joseph cooperated with God to bring Christ into the world due to their love for humanity.

Today, we celebrate sacrifice. So, we, too, must be ready to sacrifice something for the good of our brothers and sisters as Christ did by leaving his heavenly throne to be with us. Today, we celebrate humility. We must learn humility from Christ, who, though was rich, became poor for our sake. Yes, he was born in the lowliest place, the manager.

Finally, today, we celebrate the reign of peace because the prince of peace is with us. Today, we celebrate hope because Christ’s birth is the hope of our salvation. The Lord has made known his salvation. “All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God, Shout to the Lord all the earth, ring out your joy.” (Ps 97).

Once again, I wish you all a Joyful Christmas. Let our Baby Jesus give us Peace, Protection, Happiness, Love, Good Health and Prosperity.