CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT JESUS, THE CHRIST

CHRISTMAS - Isaiah 9:1-7

As we celebrate Christmas, we may ask ourselves what are we celebrating? It sounds like an absurd question, since the word Christmas refers to Christ. However, looking at the celebrations of the season around us, we are bombarded with images of Father Christmas, trying to entice us to buy all kinds of gifts. Christmas has become a highly profitable season for all the big shopping centres. And we may get the false impression that everything is about children, while, in reality, it is about profit. And we lose sight of the one we are celebrating, Jesus Christ. Christmas is about Jesus, the Christ, and nothing else. And we should not be distracted from that. At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, who is proclaimed as the Saviour of the world.

The great feast of Christmas represents an effort of inculturation. It falls on the winter solstice, which happened on 25 December in the Julian calendar. The solstice was celebrated in many cultures, being considered a time of renewal of life, as the days begin to grow in the northern hemisphere. And people celebrated and welcomed the light that makes possible life. And Jesus came as the Light of the world (Jn 8:12). Isaiah had announced such a time of blissfulness:

The people that walked in darkness

has seen a great light;

on those who live in a land of deep shadow

a light has shone. (Is 9:2)

We must rejoice and give praise to God because he has look upon us with compassion and, in order to set us free, he sent his Son, who, becoming a human being like us, open the way for us to become divine in Him. Indeed, a child for us is born:

For there is a child born for us,

a son given to us

and dominion is laid on his shoulders;

and this is the name they give him:

Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God,

Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace. (Is 9:6)

He came as the Prince of peace, opening the way of reconciliation with God and with one another. That’s why we sing with the angels:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and peace to men who enjoy his favour.” (Lk 2:14).

And those who enjoy his favour are all those who give glory to God and become themselves a manifestation of God’s glory. According to John:

“to all who did accept him

he gave power to become children of God”.

Let us welcome the Child Jesus in our hearts, our homes and our communities, for us to become like Him children of God.

Let’s go to Bethlehem and greet the great King born for us. Bane, imeni!