Christmas 2013

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I over heard someone say the other day about Christmas “after all it’s just another day in the year.” Although I was disappointed that I heard this after some thought I realised for a lot of people they are absolutely right. Christmas is just another day with the queen on at 3pm. Others it is a day where it’s a chance to have a day off or some just to eat and drink too much. It’s almost as if you want to say to them “Do they know it’s Christmas?”  For others at the end of the Christmas day they turn to each other and say “well thanks that’s over for another year”

Each of these groups of people are probably thoughts and feelings that we may have said or will say today. And yet today this day “The Word made flesh and dwelt among us” It is this day that human history changed for ever it is a pivotal day in history of humanity. Jesus the Son of God walked upon earth. Christ was among us. And so it is not just another day. There was no trumpet blasts or yellow tickertape on Sky News it went by very quietly in a small town called Bethlehem. A seemly insignificant place just outside Jerusalem. But, it was here that God chose for the Son of God to be born. It is interesting what is in a name. The word Bethlehem means “House of bread.” We all know that bread is a staple diet in many places of the world it gives life to people fills them with goodness.

God gave us this day the greatest gift that we have ever had. He gives us Jesus his only Son. Our nourishment is Jesus the bread of life. He is our constant joy and when I think of the gifts that he has given me. And the joy of the gifts he has given to me is to share them with others. For gifts are to be shared.

And this is why it does not end at midnight on Christmas day when everyone has gone home. It remains with us all through our lives. We develop the gifts, we are nourished and given strength to use those gifts in Mass and prayer. And we use them. So that everyone knows that it is Christmas and we are Christians. And as Christians we show Christ to others. There are many in our parish community who do not have family and friends around them. Many are lonely, and Christmas is just another day because the alternative is too difficult to think about. They are all too aware that it is Christmas. We need to have pastoral concern for them, to help them to pray for them but not just at Christmas but the whole year round.  

So let us this Christmas remember that Christ came to us as our gift and let us them show others Jesus so that people everywhere know what the true meaning of Christmas is which is Christ at the centre of our lives.

 

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