HOMILY FOR THE MASS OF THE SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD (CHRISTMAS DAY).
“KEEPING THE CHRIST AT CHRISTMAS”
By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide.
· Today is indeed the day the Lord has made and we shall rejoice and be glad in it. Today we celebrate the awesome gift of God from God to humanity. That through the incarnation God now dwells among us in the human flesh.
· This is indeed the mystery of God’s love for us because, without Christmas, there will be no Easter “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
· What we celebrate today is Christmas day which is the mystery of God’s dwelling among us in the likeness of man. This is indeed a piece of good news to us because “If God became man, man now has the opportunity to become god”. God becoming man means now that he knows our pains and human conditions but sin and having felt our human condition, he is able to understand us and save us.
· For four weeks of advent, we have been making preparations for this day both physical and spiritual preparations. Many made effort to go to confessions to keep themselves pure so that the Lord’s incarnation may meet them worthy and pure. Also materially, our houses and streets are well decorated with Christmas trees and flowers.
· Today while sharing the joy of Christmas that Christ now lives and moves among us, we remember that in everything we do to keep Christ at Christmas. In our bid to celebrate and have fun, we must realise that it is the birth of Christ we are celebrating and not our own birth or the birth of our relations and friends and even if it is, we must do it in such a way that it glorifies God.
· Now, more than ever, we need to proclaim more boldly and clearly the message of Christmas. It is our mission as Christians. After all, the word Christmas comes from the words “Christ” and “Mass”, and the word “Mass” comes from the Latin “Missa”, derived from the past participle “missi” (I have sent). Hence, we have the word “mission.” Christmas, therefore, reminds us of Christ’s mission to spread love, peace, and joy in a world darkened by egoism, violence, and misery. That is also our mission as followers of Christ.
· Dearly beloved in Christ, Christmas is not the day to get reckless and drunk, it is not the day to engage in useless gluttony and hedonism, it is not the day for debauchery and sensual pleasures, but a day a thanksgiving for the great thing the Lord has done for us by dwelling with us in the likeness of man. So, when miss the mark and then celebrate Christmas in sin and through sin, then we make rubbish of the incarnation and then expel Christ from Christmas, we must not forget that he is the reason for the season!
· The first reading (Isaiah52:7-10), tells that there is no greater news that God has come down to us in the likeness of man, hence we must rejoice, we must make merry because our salvation has come, and he will bring us lasting peace where there is war and unrest, he will bring us happiness and joy where we have known pain and sorrow, and since he now lives among, he will guide on the right path to salvation.
· The second reading (Hebrews 1:1-6), also tells us that there is no greater joy that God no longer will talk to us using intermediaries because, in our time since he dwells among us in his son, he will speak to us directly through his son. Jesus is the radiant of his father’s glory, his coming will destroy sin and evil. And through the sonship of Jesus, we all have been adopted into the great family of God.
· The gospel reading (John 1:1-18), reminds us that Jesus is the word of God incarnated. And in the word of God which is his son is the power to create and to transform all things. This word of God is also the light of God and since he now dwells among us, we all have now been enlightened by Christ, we must let his continue to shine in all that we do today and beyond. We must remember that we are now a new creation and the coming of Christ has empowered us to live a life of grace and righteousness.
· So, as we go about today celebrating the birth of Christ, we must put Christ at the centre of our celebration and vehemently refuse to do things that will dishonour the name of God and the Spirit and the reason for the season.
· As we make merry, we must also remember those who cannot celebrate because of ill health, wars, famine, poverty, persecution, etc., and be grateful to God for the opportunity to celebrate no matter how little or significant. We also that those who are unable to celebrate this year, that God may remove all the various obstacles preventing them from celebrating that in no distant time, they too may join in this glorious gift of God among us.
· As we greet each other “Merry Christmas”, let us not forget to greet our Lord Jesus “Happy Birthday”, for he is born, not only in Bethlehem but also on this altar of the Eucharist and in the innermost core of our hearts.
· May the word of God incarnate among us today transform our lives, bring us lasting joy, change our stories, put songs of testimonies in our mouths ,and may he grant us the grace to always retain Christ in our Christmas celebration through Christ our Lord, Amen!
· Happy Sunday!!!
· Happy Christmas!!!
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