Sermon/Homily for the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Day) 25th December 2023

Sermon/Homily for the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Day) 25th December 2023

Isaiah 52:7-10. Psalm 98:1,2-3ab,3cd-4,5-6. Hebrews 1:1-6. John 1:1-18.

Theme: And the Word Became Flesh.

The announcer of the Word could begin the presentation of the theme from the second reading that God manifested himself in stages to the people of Israel. "God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days, he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the ages" (Heb.1:1-2).

We are a highly privileged generation for God to be speaking through his Son to us, whose coming into the world as man from the womb of the Blesed Virgin Mary, we are celebrating today.

In today's Gospel, St. John stresses how the Incarnation of the Word has been the highest of all God's revelations. Today's Gospel tells us: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:1-2). "And the Word Became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten Son from the Father" (John 1:16).

It is the coming of the Word, who took flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary we are celebrating today. He is God because He had been with God in the beginning. He is also man since He took flesh in the womb of a woman at a point in the history of mankind. Hence, He is divine and human at the same time. In his humanity, he was a man like us in all things, but sin.

In the first reading, prophet Isaiah tells us of the joy that stirred Jerusalem at the return of the deportees from exile. The joy was so visible to the extent that Isaiah tells us: "The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God" (Isa.52:10). This joy of the people of Israel is the image of the joy of the world today as we celebrate the beginning of our salvation through the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ among us as man.

What should be our attitude concerning our celebration today? God has come to dwell with us should make meaning and difference in the way we see life. The condescension of God to be with us is a powerful statement of his love and care for us. His coming for the purpose of our salvation is a powerful statement about a God who does not remain indifferent to the predicament of his children.

We have God who loves us and cares for us and his ready for the most sublime act of descending to our state. We have, therefore, every reason to be happy, joyful, and hopeful. This is a season of glad tidings. It is a season the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. On our part, we have to share this joy with everyone we encounter for this to make sense. We must reach out to the downtrodden, the underprivileged, and mirror God's love in their lives.