Category Archives: Christmas Day

In ancient times, people were not able to communicate effectively and clearly because they depended on basic sounds and symbols. Later, words were formed and eventually, languages emerged. This made it much easier for people to express themselves and share ideas, thoughts and other things. Words enable us to learn about things that we have never seen and about places that we have never been. In other words, words give us new life.

Today, we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God. Today’s Gospel tells us about the Word being the “true light.” Since Jesus is the Word, He is therefore that true light of hope, knowledge, justice and peace that enlightens all men. He is the light and the Word that has come into the world and has overcome the darkness of our selfishness, ego, pride, violence, hatred, anger and sin that is in the world.

Let us therefore give thanks to God for the Word has become flesh, God has become man, so that we have life in Him. Let us not keep this Good News of this Word to ourselves, but go forth and proclaim it and share it with others, since as the Gospel tells us: “The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.” May we joyfully and enthusiastically His witnesses and give Him the glory.

Many of us like to receive presents. When we receive a present, we become quite excited and can’t wait for the earliest opportunity to open the present. Sometimes the present comes with instructions not to open it until a certain date, time or event occurs. When this is the case, some of us may become quite curious and tempted to try and find ways and means to take a peek. However, when we finally get the chance to open the present, what happens? Some of us may be quite happy since we have gotten what we wanted. Some of us may feel disappointed because we did not quite get what we wanted. But if we step aside for a while and ponder… what we are getting here are things which are temporary and won’t last forever. But today, we are offered a present which is the greatest present of all. What present is this? It is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ.

God loves all of us so much that he gave us His own Son Jesus as a present to save us from our sins and to guide us to Him. Could we ever find a present greater than or more valuable or more special than Jesus? Surely not! But, like every present that we receive, we are free to choose to accept it or to reject it. If we choose to reject this special present, then as today’s Gospel tells us: “He was in the world that had its being through him, and the world did not know him. He came to his own domain and his own people did not accept him.” It seems strange or tragic that people would choose to reject Jesus, but there are times where such people have become so engulfed with the ways of the world, with power, with money, with position and power, and with so many other things, that Jesus and ultimately God has no place in their hearts and minds. When we put other things or persons first in our lives, then we are rejecting Jesus, the Word of God.

But if we accept this special present, then as the Gospel tells us: “But to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh or will of man but of God himself.” If we are willing and prepared to open and accept this special present, then we will share in Jesus’ glory and our lives will be transformed. We will no longer be orphans or strangers but become children of God. We will have the privilege to hear God speaking to us through His Son, as St. Paul tells us in the second reading: “At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, the Son that he has appointed to inherit everything and through whom he made everything there is.”

Let us open our hearts and minds, and accept Jesus as the greatest gift of all. Let us let Jesus be in control and guide us throughout our lives. If we truly value and appreciate this special gift from God, then we do not need or want anything else. Let us consistently and happily accept this gift of Jesus this Christmas and every Christmas.

Nowadays we hear the word “love” being used and misused rampantly. People sometimes interchange the word “like” or “enjoy” with the word “love.” For example, a person may say “I love ice-cream” but actually mean “I like or enjoy eating ice-cream.” Or perhaps a person may say “I love shopping” but actually mean “I like going shopping.” The word “love” is too often used instead of the word “like” or “enjoy,” for things which are merely pleasing, but evoke no great warmth of feeling or desire. This habitual use of the word “love” to express other feelings minimises and cheapens the real meaning and potential of love in its true sense.

While some of us may not fully understand or appreciate the word “love,” God has shown us in many ways the true meaning of the word “love.” Today we celebrate Christmas Day and today, “The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.” This “Word” is Jesus Christ who came because “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” What about us? Are we willing to love others with all sincerity, just as God loves us unconditionally? Let us bring the joy of Christmas, spreading peace, love and goodwill to all persons.