The Son of God Himself came to be born and dwell among us.  What a mystery? We do not in any way merit this special privilege; hence we should embrace it with all our hearts. Pope Francis once described Jesus as the “Gift of gifts”.  He said, “So let it be with the birth of Jesus-the gift of gifts-the undeserved gift that brings us salvation, that it might also make us feel this wonder in meeting Jesus”. 

       There is need for us to reflect soberly on the birth of Jesus. God being born in human form is one of the best things that has ever happened to creation. The truth is that you are expecting a spiritual king; hence you have to be clean inwardly to receive Christ spiritually. Leave your old way of celebrating Christmas and try this for a size.

     The solemn teaching of the Church has always confirmed the clear teaching of scripture that Jesus is truly a man. He did not merely appear to be a man. He truly became one of us. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1:14. Gal. 4:4 says, “He was born of a woman” and He experienced the weaknesses and frailties of our human flesh. Jesus did not merely play at being an infant and a child. He really shared our life. In the weakness of infancy, He was nursed and cared for by His Mother. He experienced the growth of childhood and the becoming of manhood. “Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining favor with God and men.” Luke 2:52. All these and many more He did to set us free from our iniquities.

     Let us first appreciate Mary and Joseph who derived joy in doing the will of God in humility and obedience.  Joseph and Mary did not go about searching for food and drinks to celebrate the birth of Jesus. They stayed and praised God inwardly for the mission entrusted to them by Almighty God. Today, most of us have embarked on rough projects for ill-gotten money to enable us spend sparingly on Christmas day to show the world that we are Christians. Let us learn from the Holy Family to enable us be in the plan that God has for us.

     Like the three shepherds, be ready to abandon whatever you are doing to enable you locate the new born Jesus: Worship Him and present your gift to Him.  “The angel said to the Shepherds, “Be not afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to us is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger” Lk 2:10-12.

     It is indeed, unusual for God to take on the form of man because of our salvation. Christians are therefore expected to cherish the work of salvation so that God’s love for us will not be in vain. So, let us celebrate Christmas daily by living lives pleasing to God irrespective of the situation we find ourselves. Yes, now that our eyes have seen the salvation our forefathers longed to see, we should be Alleluia people. 

     Jesus needs to be born in us to reconcile us with God (His Father, Our Father) who loves us more than we love ourselves; and to reconcile us with one another to end killing, raping, kidnapping and so on. The feast of Christmas is not for a day or a season. It is an eternal joy; joy that no one can take from us, “Because it is the joy of Jesus Christ Himself made present in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Rom5: 5.

     Jesus came to lead us to His Father, our Father. Jn 6. 37 says, “Everyone whom my father gives me will come to me. I will never turn away anyone who comes to me”. If you don’t know Him, how will you recognize His voice and follow Him? A child who does not come to his father frequently may not know the values of being under the protective arms of his father. Have a change of attitude towards your God our Father who loves you and cling to Him now that you may have salvation and be with Him hereafter. God is faithful: What He said He would do, He will do.

     Be humble today as you wait to have Jesus born in your heart irrespective of your situation. You have celebrated Christmas several times and if Jesus has not been truly born in your heart, let Him in now to enable you say like the Apostles in Act. 17:28 “In Him we live and move and have our being; for we are indeed His offspring.” 

     If you have strayed and you believe in the story of the prodigal son, then return quickly to God that he may welcome you back to His kingdom through Jesus Christ. Psalm 51:12 says, “Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation, and make me willing to obey you” Today, God grant you the privilege to eat manna and tomorrow, you murmur against him. What do you want from God that he has not done for you? Man is hard to satisfy that is probably why a friend said, “Of all God created; only human beings give God tough time!” So, man is insatiable.

      “You know what hour it is, how it is full time now for you to wake from sleep. The night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day” Rom 13:11-13. 

From now on, see Christmas as a special event in your life and you will not regret it!