Christmas Day is about “changing direction” upon seeing the child born for us all…Its about “departing by another way”

Today across the world, Christmas bells ring….Christ's birth is acknowledged in the four corners of the world, by those who are pious Catholics to agnostics in modern cities…..”How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, “Your God is King!”……….The impact of this day, that took place in a remote corner of the Middle East 2000 years ago has impacted us all…..While Christmas is recognized…..Is the message of Christ recognized?….We all celebrate on this day but do we contemplate the words of Jesus Christ and more importantly, do we utilize the gifts of the one Church Christ founded to live out his word by and through grace?…..” He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.”……….Today a child is born for the salvation of the world…..He was born right under the eyes of mankind and most men “missed” his coming and the majority overlooked the significance of his birth at the time……Is today any different?…..Christmas is not about presents and lights…Christmas is about Jesus Christ - The world’s one and only hope…………”And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth”……..Do we look past the “bling” of the materialism of Christmas sold to us by corporations and the mainstream media?…..Do we “see” as the shepherds did the star in the sky marking the humble place of the birth of Christ?…..The same star shines bright to this very day. - Do we see it?

“A holy day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, and adore the Lord. For today a great light has come upon the earth.”

What compelled the people of Christ's time to follow him?…..Why did the three Kings travel great distances to pay homage to the son of Joseph and Mary?…..Something is within the hearts of ALL men - That “something” is God…As Catholics we are baptized into the life of Christ and given the first installment of the Holy Spirit…But in order for that gift to grow - We must nourish it….God cannot save us without our cooperation…….We are told in the nativity narrative about the Three Kings, when upon seeing the child, they were forever changed……”And on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.”…How about us?…..Upon encountering Christ today, did we too “depart by another way”?…….This is the true message of Christmas…..Each of us has something to do but we will never do it, unless we “depart by another way”

“What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Today the world stops - There is a pause in all the “hustle and bustle” for a short period of time….The birth of Christ spilt time in two!….His humble birth, which we commemorate today, changed the world in a way that no other person can or ever will…..The question to ponder today is - How did Jesus’ birth impact YOU?…Is this day just about exchanging gifts and celebrating with family and friends over good food and drinks?..…Or….Is there something deeper here to ponder?……Jesus was born today for one reason only - To die - Think about that for a moment……And if we take the Birth of Christ seriously, we too must realize that in order to live as we were all called to live, we too must die - Not in the way Jesus did physically - But we are called to die to ourselves and allow Christ to live within us…Without our YES and without dying to self, we will never fulfill what we were called to be or do….And unlike the Three Kings, we will not “depart by another way”.....…Christmas Day is about “changing direction” upon seeing the child born for us all…Its about “departing by another way”……….JMJ

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