by FATHER HOWARD CHABOT
The event that gathers Christians together on Christmas Eve is always proclaimed in a few words.
“Today is born our Saviour, Christ the Lord!”
“The Word was made Flesh and dwells among us.”
“Glory to God in the highest and Peace to God’s People on earth”.
However we say it, our words describe an event… an event that has happened…happens again now… and will happen again. It is easy enough for us to tell the familiar Christmas Story as it is put together for us in Gospel Narratives of Saint Luke and St. Matthew. So much of their accounts are given to us in symbolic imagery that convey the reality of the Lord’s Birth.
Reflecting on it we can say ‘God has come to us’. He has come – not in any threatening revelation, but in the person of a little child. Many know the experience of welcoming a new born child into the family. Here in the Christmas story we have a new born child who wants to welcome us. “A child is born for us. A saviour is given us.”
The Word made Flesh coming among us as a child speaks of God’s tenderness. “In the tender compassion of our God, the Dawn from on high has visited us”… and not only visited us, he dwells among us. He has come, as professed in the Nicene Creed, “for us and for our salvation”. The baby at Bethlehem, Jesus on the Cross at Calvary, and the Risen Lord of Easter is one and the same. We rejoice in telling the story for today is born our Saviour Christ the Lord!
The event that we recall and proclaim today does not only happen once. The Word that is the revelation of the Father continues to be made flesh for us and for our salvation. All who have been baptized in Christ continue to give flesh to the Word of God. We do this whenever we allow the tender mercy of God to be born in us and in turn bring it to birth in another.
The gifts we give at Christmas are but little reminders of the Great Gift who is The Word made Flesh.
The Love we share with others at Christmas; the way in which we forgive as we have been forgiven; the joy we give and receive; every act of tenderness- all of these continues to reveal the Lord Jesus who today and every day is born our Saviour, Christ the Lord!
The Daily News from the media – ‘Fake News’ and ‘accurately reported news’- so often tells of violence and evil, sin and scandal. You and I are familiar with all the stories and in humility we must acknowledge that in our own way we share in them whether it is by what has been placed upon us or what we have placed upon others.
The event of Christmas offers us the opportunity to acknowledge our own personal need for the Saviour and open ourselves to the message of the Prophet Isaiah that is proclaimed to us as a promise of hope. “The People who walked in darkness have seen a great light”. That’s the truth we want to hold on to this night…..the assurance that God is with us even in the darkest hour.
In the Good News of Christmas, it is Heavenly Messengers who cheer us with the words: “Do not be afraid. I bring you news of great joy. Today is born our Saviour, Christ the Lord.”
Let us welcome him once again.
