The birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem 2016 years ago ushered in an era of salvation. Only when every individual experiences this salvation, Christmas becomes a meaningful celebration. The love of God manifested in the coming of the Messiah is to make sure that no one is abandoned to the curse of death.
The two important figures in the manger, Mary and Joseph, reveal to us the true meaning of Christmas. Mary and Joseph had to pay a great price of total self-giving in order to be found in the manger with Jesus.
Christmas will be a celebration for us only when we are able to look back into our past and take count of every bit of pain that we endure as an investment for the sake of the Messiah. It is in such moments of hardship that our commitment to Jesus manifests the power of love. As Mother Mary spread the pieces of cloth she managed to save up in order to wrap her baby in comfort, so shall we weave together our experiences of brokenness and offer it for Christ to be born in our lives. The bitter experiences of our failures and reverses will lose their sharp edges and exude a sweetness that makes our life so beautiful.
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ this month, do not forget to show mercy to the poor, the helpless and the orphans. Celebrate Christmas fully within your financial limits. And at the same time, remember to give
thanks to the Lord for the goodness He has shown in your life throughout this year. Specifically, at the end of the year, spend some days in prayer and fasting for the New Year’s blessings and for God’s guidance. The New Year will then certainly be a blessing for you. As we celebrate this great festival of Christmas, we cannot but lift up our hearts to the Christ Child and thank Him for all the caring, sharing and giving of our generous hearts during the year gone by. And so we cherish these memories with gratitude during this holy season. May the Child Jesus who is love incarnate, enfold you in His arms. May the gentle peace that He brings, touch you softly from above and fill your hearts and home with peace and love. The activities of Christmas-tide like parties, visits and hopefully even the sacraments, fills us with joy and contribute to making the season joyful and exciting.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
