A Meaningful Christmas

Christmas is already in the air. A few days from now we will be celebrating the birth of Jesus. May we remember to give thanks to God for letting Jesus be born through the Blessed Virgin Mary. Thanks also to Mama Mary and St. Joseph for saying yes to be the earthly parents of Jesus. Let us commemorate the birth of Jesus with grateful hearts.

To have a meaningful Christmas let me share with you some insights about the celebration that I gathered from Pastor Chuck Smith in his book “The Christmas Story”:

An incredible thing happened in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. The birth of Jesus changed history forever. The Gift God sent that night opened prison doors, loosened shackles, and provided entry into heaven. It proved His love for mankind. Those who understand what happened that long ago night carry a bit of awe with them always. But the rest of the world has turned the celebration of the Christ Child into nothing more than a celebration of self.

No doubt, you will hear many carols during this holiday season. “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” will play hundreds of times throughout malls and on radio stations in the month of December. But do people understand the tidings brought by those angels? Do they have any inkling whatsoever of the drama those angels spoke about?

“Silent Night” will play in the background at many parties in the coming weeks. That’s a perennial favorite. But do people stop and ponder the incredible event that occurred on that quiet Bethlehem night?

You won’t be able to step into a mall or department store without hearing “Joy to the World.” But think about it: do you have the joy that song sings about? Are you experiencing the joy of God’s gift? Apart from Christ, the world does not understand or encounter that joy. A world bound and wrapped in sin cannot possibly experience true joy.

And yet the world tries. All around us, the world prepares itself to celebrate something they do not understand. Interspersed among the fat, bearded men in red, nativities are scattered, but most people have never grasped the glory of the manger. Among all the cards decorated with elves and holly and snowmen, an occasional silhouette of the wise men will appear, but most people have no idea what those men searched for. My neighborhood is gaily decorated with beautiful lights, but very few of my neighbors know the beauty of the true Light who came into the world. “He was in the world and the world was made by Him, but the world knew Him not.” And the tragedy is that for the most part, this is still true today: the world knows Him not.

So, on Christmas day, let us rediscover the story of Christmas. It tells of a love so deep, so immeasurable, and so unspeakable, that it must be heard with the heart. It describes a love so mysterious, the angels long to understand it; a love so powerful, it can create beauty from ashes, and breathe life into the dead.

Instead of rushing to open trinkets that will rust and fade away with time, invite your family to turn their hearts toward the one Gift that will last for eternity. There’s no better time to receive that Gift than on Christmas day.

There was born that night in Bethlehem a Savior, the Messiah, the Lord. God’s gift of love for you. The most important gift of all. One that expresses a depth of love that we can never experience or understand.

May the above thoughts remind us of the true meaning of Christmas. For God loves us, he gave us his only Son. And with that let us share God’s love with one another not only during this season but all throughout our lives.

“Christmas decorations and gifts are less important than the spiritual gifts of love, patience and understanding. Christmas has to be something inside us.” – Fr. Joseph A. Galdon