The True Meaning of Christmas
By Fr. Marcus Shammami
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.
– Luke 2:8-19
It’s that time of year again, Christmas. As quickly as it arrives, it passes by in the blink of an eye. It is really easy to get distracted during this season: by Christmas music; Christmas decorations; Christmas gifts; Christmas lights; Christmas sweets; Christmas foods; the list goes on and on.
Let’s take a moment and think. Why so much joy during this time of year? What are all these things pointing to? What do we make of Christmas and what is so significant about this holiday (Holy day)? How do we remember what it is truly all about?
All these things point to the fact that we are celebrating a great joy, a great happiness because a promise that was made thousands of years ago has been made real, a promise that God had made to His people.
That promise is fulfilled when Jesus Christ made Himself present among us, His people. This is what we call the great mystery of the Incarnation. God now lives among His people. We no longer have to guess what God is like because we now know what He is like. God Himself lives among us to teach us how to live, how to pray, how to love, how to hope, and how to follow Him.
This is what we celebrate during this season of Christmas - God becoming man; God making Himself known to us so that we are able to have a personal relationship with Him. We exchange gifts with one another out of our immense joy, we decorate our homes because we are reflecting the joy of the Christ in our own hearts, we listen to Christmas music to express that happiness that springs from our souls.
Often, the true meaning of Christmas is lost in the materialism, the lights, and the gifts. The world gets so caught up and mesmerized by the light of Christmas that they sometimes forget the source of that light: Jesus Christ.
In the Gospel passage above, we see shepherds approached by the angel announcing the birth of Jesus Christ. As the shepherds approach the manger where the infant Jesus lay, they praised Him. When the shepherds recounted what had been told to them by the angel, we are told that “Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.”
Mary pondered, meaning that she reflected on all these things that had taken place. Mary ponders often throughout the Gospels about the life and mission of her Son. We are called to do the same. There are some simple ways throughout this Subara/Advent and Christmas season that we can keep the true meaning of Christmas alive in our hearts.
Set up a nativity scene with the family. This will be a constant reminder to everyone who takes a glance at it of the true reason for the season. Pray each time you see it, thanking God for what He has done for us. Encourage your kids to imitate the shepherds and the wise men by kneeling in front of the baby Jesus of the nativity scene before they open their gifts on Christmas.
Pray. You hear it often, but it cannot be stressed enough: In order to recognize the importance of God in our lives, we need to speak to Him each day. Pray the rosary, thanking Mary for her role in bringing Jesus into the world. As you pray during this season, it might be a good idea to begin a tradition of lighting a Christ candle to remind you that Christ is the light of the world.
Seek God’s mercy. Prepare room for Jesus in your heart with a good confession. If you have not been in a while, do not be afraid; the priest is only there to help you to receive God’s mercy and healing.
Wish people a Merry Christmas. A good reminder for yourself as well as those around you of the joy of the season!
Perform works of mercy. The Church calls us at all times to reach out to those in need of help, especially during Advent and Lent. Model the true spirit of Christmas for your family by looking for opportunities to help.
As we celebrate this joyous season, pray for persecuted Christians around the world. Give away things that others might need more than you. Consider donating to a family in need or to a charitable organization. Donate food items to your local St. Vincent de Paul food shelf or other charity. Above all, keep the joy of Christ in your hearts and His message of love on your lips.