24.12.2023 – Villanueva del Arzobispo – Iznatoraf (Jaén)

Today is born our Saviour, Christ the Lord

Isaiah 9:1-7, Psalm 95, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14

Merry Christmas to everyone! After about four weeks of Advent preparation, we celebrate this night a Eucharistic thanksgiving to God for what he did for humanity more than two thousand years ago in Bethlehem. The Prophet Isaiah captures it perfectly in today´s first reading: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined.” Today, we celebrate the one who was born to be the Light of the World – whose primary mission is to dispel the darkness of error and sin in humanity. This is the theme explored very well by the Apostle Paul in the second reading – the salvation brought us by Christ trains us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, makes us godly and upright as we await the Parousia.  

It is the event of Christmas that makes each and every one of us Children of God for as underlined by St. Irenaeus “the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God” (CCC 460).

Because, the Saviour is born, the Psalmist invites us to “sing a new song to the Lord, let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad, let all living creatures shout for joy at the presence of the Lord for he comes, he comes to rule the earth.” The Gospel reminds us that at the Saviour’s birth the heavenly host, were praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those with whom he pleased!”

Christmas is a time of joy. It is a celebration of hope. Little wonder it is the most joyful time of the year with Christmas carols, dining with family and friends, holidays, gifts and gestures of charity and gratitude. I imagine that we are just waiting for this Mass to end so we rush home for the dinner on this Most Holy Night.

But as we celebrate let’s not forget the message of the gospel – “And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Lk 2:7). Luke describes the birth of Christ in Bethlehem with some fine details that merits attention – he says “there was no place for them in the inn…” We can Imagine Joseph and Mary went from place to place looking for space but no one was ready to give up his or her space for them. No one was ready to make a little sacrifice for them at such a time of dire need. So, they got no option than to use the manger. This is an indictment to humanity. This what we sing in the Popular Spanish advent song “The world is dying of cold, the soul has lost its warmth, men are not brothers, the world has no love. Come, come Lord, do not delay.”

The Lord is come. He invites all of us to create spaces for our brothers. He invites us not to turn a blind eye or be indifferent to the needs of our brothers. The major test for Christmas is easy. When last did we last stretch out a helping hand to someone in need? open our heart or home to somebody in want? Any unanswered knock on my door may be an ignoring of Christ. If HE is not born in my heart and in my home this Christmas, what happened in Bethlehem long ago has not really taken root in my heart.

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant

O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem

O come and behold Him, born the King of Angels

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him

O come, let us adore Him

Christ the Lord!