Gospel Reflection for Christmas Day

The Birth of Jesus Christ, our Saviour – Christ the Light and the Light of Christ

The shopping is done, all the presents are bought and wrapped, the house is clean and the tree with all its decoration is shining brightly. So what has all this hectic busyness been about?

When we have a birthday in our own family, what do we do? We gather around the person whose birthday it is and as a family, then we do two things. We remember and we celebrate. We remember the time and date the person was born. We look back and remember the day they came in to our family. We might look at photographs of them and recall how they looked when they were young. We tell stories about them when they were young; we remember their first words, the first days at a school and other significant events in their early life. Then we celebrate with them. We give thanks and celebrate the difference they have made and continue to make to our family.

This is exactly what we on Christmas Day; we remember and we celebrate. We recall and tell the story of how and when Jesus was born. We tell the story of Mary and Joseph being turned away from the inn, we remember that the angels appeared with good news and we remember how shepherds and the kings visited the stable. Then we celebrate the difference Jesus has made not only to the world, but to our personal lives.

We have to be careful that we don’t look at Christmas as if it were just a historical event that happened in the past. The birth of Jesus is an event that echoes and ripples through the centuries right down to us today. We are asked not to experience Christmas and the birthday of Christ as a nice romantic thing as is often depicted on Christmas cards.

Through the birth of Christ, God enters our time and history, and more importantly each of our own personal lives. Christ is Emmanuel, God-is-with-us, and God is with each of us today in a very personal and intimate way.

As pope, John Paul II, wrote, ‘the mystery of the birth of Jesus that took place over 2000 years ago must be lived today and every day. The Word that found a dwelling place in and through Mary comes to knock on our hearts this Christmas and every Christmas, today and every day.

This Christmas, while all the celebrations and festivities are taking place, let’s stop, take some time and ask ourselves, what am I remembering? What am I celebrating?

May the Light of Christ and Christ the Light bless our world and fill all our homes and families, this Christmas Day and always. Amen.

• Michael Moore OMI