Christmas is the feast of the Savior, the feast of Divine love and the feast of Emmanuel

 

1: Feast of God’s sharing a Savior with us

 

1) Incarnation of Jesus as God-man to save us from the bondage of sin.

 

a) The Hindu Scriptures describe ten incarnations of God “to restore righteousness in the world whenever there is a large scale erosion of moral values.”

 

b) But the Christian Scriptures teach only one incarnation and its purpose is given in John 3: 16: “God so loved the world that he sent His only Son so that every one who believes in Him may not die, but may have eternal life.”

 

 

2) We celebrate the Incarnation today as good news because we have a Divine Savior.

 

 

3) As our Savior, Jesus liberated us from our slavery to sin and atoned for our sins by his suffering, death and resurrection.

 

4) Every Christmas reminds us that we need a Savior to free us from our evil addictions and unjust, impure and uncharitable inclinations.

 

2: Feast of God’s sharing His love with us

 

1) Jesus as our Savior brought the “good news” that our God is a loving, forgiving, merciful, saving and rewarding God and not a judging, cruel and punishing God.

 

2) Jesus demonstrated by his life and teaching how God our heavenly Father loves us, forgives us, and provides for us. All his miracles were signs of this Divine Love. Jesus’ final demonstration of God’s love for us was his death on the cross.

 

3) Christmas reminds us that sharing love with others is our Christian duty, and that every time we do so, Jesus is reborn in our lives. Let us accept this challenge by Alexander Pope,” What does it profit me if Jesus is born in thousands of cribs all over the world and He is not born in my heart?”

 

4) Let us allow Jesus to be reborn in our hearts and lives every day as sharing and selfless love, compassionate words and deeds, unconditional forgiveness, a spirit of humble service and overflowing generosity.

 

 

3: Feast of Emmanuel (God living with and within us)

 

1) Christmas is the feast of Emmanuel because God of the New Testament is a God who continues to live with us – “Emmanuel” -- in all the events of our lives, as announced by the angel to Mary.

 

2) As Emmanuel Jesus lives in the sacraments (especially in the Holy Eucharist), in the Bible, in the praying community and in each believer. His Holy Spirit transforms us into “Temples of the Holy Spirit.”

 

3) Christmas reminds us that we are bearers of God with the missionary duty of conveying Jesus to others around us by loving others as Jesus did through sacrificial, humble and committed service. Sharing with others Jesus the Emmanuel living within us is our best Christmas gift today.