Pastor's Letter 20201225 - 25 December 2020 - The Word of God Was Made Flesh

[Father Michael]

December 25th, 2020

CHRISTMAS DAY

Today’s Theme:   “The Word of God Made Flesh”

A Message from Father †Michael

At Christmas, preachers sometimes rail against the absence of “Christ” in Christmas—exclaiming how pagan Christmas has become—as if the first Christmas was ideal. We must not forget Jesus came into a pagan world!   It is far better to stress the presence of Christ in Christmas, and help people find Him.

Nevertheless, we may hear how “blasphemous” it is to express the feast as “X-mas.”  However, consider this:  The two Greek letters, Chi (X) and Rho (an elongated “P”) are the two symbols used by members of the early Church to express Jesus’ title—“The Christ”—meaning the “anointed One,” or, “The Messiah.” (Chi-Rho, pictured here, superimposed on one another, as they are often seen in religious iconography, jewelry, tapestries and vestments.)

It is perfectly permissible, then, considering our “truncated” method of speaking, that we might substitute “X” for “Christ,” and be quite correct in doing so!  It’s something to remember next time you see “Xmas” used instead of “Christmas.” Although they may not be aware of it, people using the abbreviation are inadvertently according homage to Jesus Christ….

Another concern might be hearing “Happy Holidays,” instead of, “Merry Christmas.”  Once again, learned Christians know our modern-day word, “holiday,” is a contraction, (a portmanteau, if you will,) for “Holy-Day!”   Even when used it’s to secularize the sentiment, our politically correct society is still expressing the same sentiment members of the Church have been doing for ages!  

Finally, we should remember Christmas is all about the Incarnation—meaning God’s Son coming to earth, taking human nature, in order to confer on us dignity as Children of God.  The mystery of the Incarnation is a mystery of love.  It constitutes the very heart of Christian faith. Seeking to understand and be in touch with ordinary people, Christ had to see what they saw, hear what they heard, and live what they lived. Understanding it abstractly is different from feeling it with your whole being. In Jesus, God drew near to us “in person,” becoming one of us—living among us.  Jesus is THE gift of Christmas.  His was not loving us “from a distance,” as the song goes.  He loves us at “close quarters.”

May we all be enriched by His beautiful coming!  

Scripture Note

Our Readings today begin with a great hymn of exultation at the return of the exiles from Babylon (Isaiah 52:7-10.)  Our Second Reading tells us we did nothing to merit the birth of Jesus; rather, God sent His Son out of compassion for us (Titus 2:11-14.)

Then, in our Gospel passage, we hear the beautiful elegy of the fullest meaning of what Christmas reveals (John 1:1-18.)  Once said at the end of every Mass, in the Tridentine (Latin) tradition, John reaches back before creation and identifies the newborn Child as the Word of God—“Made Flesh.”  Eternally present with God, the Word brings life and light to the world.  To those who accept Him, He gives us the power to become children of God.  

Christ, the Light of the World

It should come as no surprise to anyone that the actual date of Christ’s birth is unknown.  We hear it in arguments every year, by some who would discredit the meaning of our holy feast day.  December 25th was chosen by Rome ca. 300 AD.

Before artificial light was invented, the season of winter was long, dark and dreary.  All of this was due, of course, to the relative absence of daylight from the Sun in the later months of the year, in the northern hemisphere.  Everyone was aware the sun would “come back” in the spring and summer, and things would change for the better.  The feast was known to the pagan masses as Sol Invictus (L. Unconquerable sun.)

In order to counter this pagan feast, the Church chose to celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th, as it is close to the winter solstice.  Instead of worshiping the Sun-God, people were encouraged to worship Jesus, the Son of God.  His coming was seen as fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah: “The people now living in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2.)  Jesus described His mission in similar terms when He said: “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12.)  

December is the darkest month for us—a time when we appreciate the value of light.  Christmas means the coming of God’s light into the darkness of our world.  This night is made radiant by the light of Christ.  The liturgy is filled with references to light and to the glory of God.  Someone described Christmas as a pool of light in the inky darkness of winter.

Jesus’ teaching is truly a source of light to all who accept Him.  But it is, above all, through His deeds and encounters with people that His luminous goodness manifested itself.  Countless people come to Him “in darkness” and come away “bathed in light.”  And Christ’s light was not lighted but once, in Bethlehem, and then extinguished.  Unlike the sun, Christ’s light knows no “setting.”   It continues to shine for all who believe in Him and follow Him.  The light of Christ is persistent, and has the power to draw people to its shining. It’s not an illusory comfort, or a false reassurance that all is well when, for some, this is clearly not the case.  It shines in the midst of devastation, disaster and upheaval.  The Gospel is a persistent and defiant light, which no darkness can overpower.  

Christ’s light comes to us as a friend, bringing healing, not hurt; freedom, not oppression; life, not death.  Those who follow Him will always have the light of life.  He teaches us who we are and what is our destiny.   We are Children of God and bound for eternal life.   May the Lord, in His goodness, give us a taste of that joy, which the shepherds experienced when the light of God’s glory shone around them, on that first Christmas night.  

May God Richly Bless You! 

"You can find Christmas inside you...if you let God allow Christ to be formed within you."

~~Ven. Fulton Sheen~~

To view a stream of today's Holy Mass, Click here: https://youtu.be/fATrAhlEJWQ

 

Promise, The.docx

Promise, The.mp3