Gospel of John, chapter 1:14

In his famous poem, Intimations of Immortality, William Wordsworth wrote:
“Trailing clouds of glory do we come from God who is our home.”

This lovely insight aptly expresses the miracle of our origins in God and finds its fulfillment today in the birth of Jesus who came down from the glory of Heaven to be our human brother. Theologians call this event, The Incarnation: God wrapping himself in human flesh with all the possibilities and limitations that this implies. He who was eternal became bound by time. He who was power itself became a little child. He who was truth itself had to learn to speak and articulate the wisdom of his own Jewish people. He knew human joy and friendship, sickness and pain, and all that it means to be human. Yes, his feelings were like our own and he was even subject to temptation like all of us. He was like us in all things but sin. This is what we celebrate today; the birth of Jesus, the Son of God who came down to earth to show us how to love. What a blessing! What a miracle!

The beauty of Jesus’s birth is its simplicity. A child can relate to it. Christmas is not only about the birth of Jesus Christ, it is also about the rebirth of all people of good will who believe in what He represents. The people who witnessed His birth were simple shepherds, and wise men who were seeking the truth. The truth that Jesus represents is the truth of how to live as human beings, how to love one another the way He loved us. He shows us the way because He is the way. The early Christians were not called “people of the way” lightly. They were called people of the way because they took Jesus seriously and followed Him all the way. Even their enemies would say when they were dragged into the Roman Coliseum to be sacrificed as playthings to the lions: “Look how they love one another.” The birth of Christ later shook the whole world, making it possible for us today to have a new birth if only we open up our hearts to His message.

This is a special time of year because it is a time of hope, and you can feel it in the air. 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, and with simple acts of human kindness. Christmas reminds us to let God back in our lives; to see Christ in each other.

The Son of God became human at Christmas and raised us up to achieve our true potential as children of God. We see this more clearly and feel it more deeply at Christmastime. Let us take hold of the good news of Christmas and live it all the time.

Merry Christmas!

Fr. Hugh Duffy

The Perfect Gift!

What is This Thing Called FAITH?

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