Pastor's Letter 2021225 - 25 December 2021 - Good News and Great Joy

[Father Michael]

December 25^th, 2021

Christmas Day

A Message from Father _†Michael

Today’s Theme:  

“Good News and Great Joy” 

Reflections on Today’s Scripture

Our First Reading today (Isaiah 52:7-10,) exclaims the great joy and hope of the Jewish people, hearing of their release from exile and their imminent homecoming.  For more than a generation, Jerusalem lay in ruins, a bleak witness to the political and military might of her Babylonian conquerors.  During their time of captivity, with no rights to pray, live and worship in their custom, an enlightenment gradually took place among them, largely due to the presence of the prophets among them.  Christians see today’s feast as the Christ event, where, in the Incarnation, Yahweh truly returns and restores Jerusalem.  Thus we see our Gospel as a celebration of Good News, but also of persons and events.

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In sort of a “before and after,” or “then and now” comparison, the author of Hebrews enunciated the differences between the revelation of the old and new covenants (Hebrews 1:1-6.)  He points to the superior revelation of God, in Christ, that is whole and entire, living and absolute (as compared to the Old Testament, which had to be interpreted by the prophets.) Christ is God’s last word to the world; revelation in Him is final and homogeneous. He is elevated far above the prophets of old, and the angelic hosts. (Popular Jewish belief regarded the angels as mediators of the law for humankind.)  Hebrews leaves no doubt as to Christ’s superior and unequalled position as the ultimate Mediator..   

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The incarnation is the central thought of today’s Gospel (John 1:1-18.)  Up until Vatican II, today’s text was proclaimed at the end of every Holy Mass, thereby earning for itself the misnomer, the “Last Gospel.”  Though this practice has been discontinued, it did serve the purpose of climaxing every celebration of the Eucharist with the compelling and beautiful truth of the incarnation. For us who believe and who celebrate the “enfleshment” of the Word of God as the source of life, light and truth, today is a renewal of our faith, and our commitment to the challenge of that Word.  We should remember that because of the incarnation, we respond, not to a concept, ideology or philosophy, but to a living and loving Person—Jesus Christ.

The Kingdom of God becomes Tangible

Often in life, the day of greatest expectation turns out to be the day of greatest disappointment.  This can happen at Christmas for many people.  Sometimes unreal expectations for something extraordinary, or something that may change human lives forever, can overwhelm us.  Thanks to an ever-lengthening build-up, as the great day approaches, our hopes soar.  However, the substance of these hopes is often dictated by the marketplace—with a glut of things to eat, drink and purchase, and a plethora of multi-media presentations to entertain us.

The first thing most of us realize when Christmas Day dawns is that it’s just like any other day….  No angels can be seen; no heavenly voices are heard—everything goes on as normal.  And when the sun goes down, many people feel empty and depressed, and say with a touch of bitterness, “Christmas is only for the children.”  

But this day can be different, even though there are no signs in the sky.  There are signs about—at least for those who know where to look.  On this day there is more light, more warmth, more hope in the world.  People are friendlier on Christmas Day. No one passes without a greeting.  On this day we feel part of the human family, or at least have the desire to be part of it. To walk alone this morning seems strange, even wrong. 

Indeed, the Kingdom of God becomes tangible on Christmas Day.  If we open our souls, we will feel ourselves touched by the Divine Presence.  “I may not know Who God is, but I know where He lives.  He surrounds me all year, but at Christmas, He comes up and digs me in the ribs.” (Hugh Leonard, Irish playwright.)  

That isn’t mere sentiment….  At Christmas, we can get a sense of the closeness, warmth and the goodness of God—a feeling that we are not alone; that our life has meaning; that “someone” is watching over us and guiding our way.  That is the “heart” of Christmas.  We shouldn’t be afraid to bask in this warmth, just as we might a burst of warm sunshine on a cold day.  

We also get a sense of our own goodness and that of others—a feeling that life is good and that it has meaning.  We are not merely specks of dust or grains of sand, we are God’s precious sons and daughters.  We have a divine dignity and a glorious destiny.  An inner peace springs from our connection with God, Who is love.  

If Christmas leaves us disappointed, it means we have pinned our hopes on the wrong things…on merchants’ offers, perhaps.  Those who do will always be dissatisfied, not because they promise too little, but too much…or the wrong things.  That for which our hearts long is a taste of the “great joy,” which the angels announced to the shepherds of old.  That is the real hope of Christmas.  

The only thing we must do to “tap into” this, is to open our hearts to “receive it.”  Today, our Savior, Jesus Christ, the Lord is born to us!

May God Richly Bless You!

"In the Word, "Enfleshed," God speaks the language of our flesh and blood--in the pulsing of our needs and aspirations, and even, in the shadows of our sinful and darker side."

To view a live stream of today's Holy Mass, click here: 

 

Mary, Did You Know?.docx

Edited December 25, 2021 by Father Michael