Matthew 1:23
The word Emmanuel, attributed to Jesus in today’s scripture, means “God with us.” And that is who Jesus is for us. HE is the presence of God in our lives, and in the lives of every Christian. As we celebrate this fourth Sunday of Advent, let us ponder anew the meaning of this event which has transformed the lives of countless people throughout history.

Christmas is a wonderful time of year. It is the most human of our religious holidays; it is a time when people reach out to each other, when families and friends gather together, when we remember each other with gifts, with prayers, with simple acts of human kindness. We are reminded to put God back in our lives, and to see Christ in each other. The son of God became a human person at Christmas , and transformed our way of thinking and behaving towards each other. We see this more clearly and feel Emmanuel ( God with us ) more deeply at Christmastime.

This is a magical time of year, not just because the God of Love came to dwell among us as a little child, but because He offers to dwell in us. God is love and we know this because He sent us his son to show us how to love. True Christians are born of God, not of the flesh, and the spiritual ties that unite us to Christ can be more powerful than ties of blood because they enable us to rise above the daily grind of having to please others or live by their standards or by their prejudices. Christ changed all that. His love is so pure that He changed the way we behave and look at life. He entered our world as a helpless child at a time when Caesar, a mere man, was adored as a God and imposed a crippling yoke upon the human spirit.

Who among us cannot be humbled by the love of God incarnate (made flesh) in a helpless child who could fit into the palm of your hand. Without an army or legions, without the glitter of a radiant king, this tiny bundle of helplessness lying in a manger has brought us to our senses. He has enlisted more people under his banner than Caesar or any earthly conquerer could have imagined. His banner is not the banner of might or power, but of faith, hope, love, peace, joy, and compassion. He was born into poverty and a stable was his resting place. His invited guests were mere shepherds; His parents were a single Mother, and a simple carpenter.

Christmas is not a transient event or feast. It lives on as long as people of good will walk the same walk of Christ, as long as people reject the false gods of society, as long as people are kind to one another, as long as people reach out to the needy, the poor and the destitute for “whatever we do to the least of our brothers and sisters, we do unto Him.”

And so I wish all my friends the peace and simple joy of Christ among us.

Fr. Hugh Duffy

The Perfect Gift!

What is This Thing Called FAITH?

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