The birth of the Child Jesus

The Christmas season is coming and we are all excited and joyful at the birth of the Child Jesus. Full of grace by the coming of the Redeemer, it is also a season of hope, peace, and love!

But let us not allow the world of commercialism to confuse the true meaning of Christmas. Everything tells us to give gifts, to buy, and to be happy by wearing fashionable clothes and buying the latest gadget. The true meaning of Christmas, however, is not here.

Christmas means celebrating the birth of the Child Jesus and the good news of the coming of the Redeemer, so we need to celebrate with joy and happiness, not just trying to follow what's on TV, which perhaps is not telling the truth!

It is said that everyone knew about the birth, a star indicated where the child was  born, the kings, or wise men went to visit him, they gave him gifts of gold, myrrh, and incense, and that King Herod himself ordered all babies to be killed as he was afraid of losing his throne.

Thirty years went by until the public life of Jesus that we all know. So why do we mistake Christmas with shopping? It sounds incredible. Christmas today is totally commercialized and has lost its true meaning: filling us with joy at the birth of our savior!

Occasionally, we don’t even remember to go to Mass, because we are busy with the preparations for the great meal and the gifts. God, however, waits for us, perhaps thinking that this year, for sure, you will go, open the door and smile. But we often find ourselves totally mesmerized by the marketing offered in the media.

Let us stop for a moment and remember the true meaning of Christmas. The readings at Mass will remind us. Let us realize that God sent his son to save us and to free us from our sins. Let us then go to Mass and say: Here I am, Jesus, the same one who occasionally forgets you. But today I want to be filled with the joy of your birth and the hope offered us by knowing that you have never left us.

Let us make of this Christmas a time to be close to Jesus and then we will realize that we shine in body and soul, and look much better than that coat we really wanted in the shopping mall.

God bless you and fill you with the Holy Spirit.