Christmas 2016 (Fr. Francis)

“I proclaim to you good news of great joy; today a Savior is born for us, Christ the Lord”

Good morning everyone! Surely, all of you must share in my great joy of being a participant in this beautiful gathering of families, relatives, friends, neighbors and even unannounced visitors. Today, many have come to commemorate the incarnation of God on earth!

For the little ones, it must have been very difficult this morning to leave their homes that have been nicely decorated for this special celebration. It must have been hard leaving all those beautiful presents that can bring so many hours of entertainment. But, in the love of Jesus, they sacrificed everything for a little while so that they may have the opportunity to come to Church today to say thank you to Baby Jesus.

Have you read the news today – the “good news” of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and son of Mary who was born for us and for our salvation. The word gospel literally means good news! Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would descend from David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem (Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1-2; Micah 5:2-4).

The first to hear the good news of the savior’s birth were not the rulers and religious leaders of Israel who were robed in riches and power. The angels first came to those who were humble and ready to receive the newborn king who was born in poverty and was now laying in a manger made for animals. Just as God had chosen and anointed David, a lowly shepherd of Bethlehem to become the shepherd king of Israel, so Jesus likewise chose the path of humility and lowliness in coming to Israel as the good shepherd king who would lay down his life for their sake and salvation. After the angels had sung their hymn of glory in the presence of the shepherds, the shepherds made haste to adore the newborn king and sing their hymn of glory as well. What is your favorite Christmas Song? “Silent night, Holy night?”, Joy to the world…!? I like this song Joy to the world. The lord is come!

Yes. The joy of Christmas is not for a day or a season. It is an eternal joy, a joy that no one can take from us because it is the joy of Jesus Christ himself made present in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (see Romans 5:2-5). The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which no pain nor sorrow can diminish, and which neither life nor death can take away.

We all have wonderful memories of how we have celebrated Christmas in the past. On this Christmas, we will relive those memories, create new ones, and cherish our fondest memories in the recesses of our hearts. The joy and excitement of opening Christmas presents; sampling the delicious foods and deserts that our mothers and grandmothers had prepared; the decorating of the tree; the setting up of the manger scene; the singing of Christmas carols; and of course, the gathering together of family members and friends, all make up the wonderful memories of Christmas.

I have many beautiful memories of Christmases past. From early childhood, I remember how our entire family always attended Christmas Mass at our parish, walking about 6 miles! Listening to some beautiful hymn, my grandmother would begin to weep uncontrollably. As a child, I asked my grandmother why she wept so much. “God loves us so much,” was her immediate answer.

There is another Christmas memory that fills me with profound joy, the memory of the first time that I celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as a newly ordained priest. Of course this Christmas celebration too will remain as a joyful memory for me as I celebrate with you the first Christmas Mass in United States!

Christmas is all about the Savior who came to save us from sin. “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man” (Creed).

One Christmas Day during World War II, a young family was outside making a snowman. Suddenly an airplane flew by overhead. After it had passed, the youngest child turned to her father and said, “Daddy, how do people climb up to the sky to get into air planes?” her father explained that passengers didn’t have to climb up to the sky to get into the airplanes. The airplanes came down from the sky to get the passengers. The child’s question helps us to illustrate the mystery of Christmas. Christmas celebrates the fact that I don’t have to climb to the sky to get to God. God has come down to earth. When God wants an important thing done in this world, or wants a wrong righted, he chooses carefully, he chooses human beings; God sends a baby, a powerful mystery! Do you know how many great people were born in this city? Only babies were born. So the great events of this earth are not battles, elections, earthquakes or thunderbolts, but births, births of babies.

Had our greatest need been knowledge, God would have sent us an educator. Had that greatest need been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. So too had our greatest need been for money, God would have sent us an economist. Had our greatest need been for pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But, because our greatest need was for redemption from sin, God sent us a Savior. And that is the good news! A savior is born for us, Christ the Lord.

May the light of our living faith in Jesus shine in your thoughts, your words and your actions for the glory of God!

God bless you. Merry Christmas!

Fr. A. Francis HGN