Meditation for Christmas Day – wishing all our readers a happy and blessed Christmas

Dec 25, 2020 by Jill

ON THE CALENDAR :Feast of the Nativity

Today marks the  traditional date of the birth of Christ dating back to  27AD. The winter festival of Saturnalia was drawing Christians back to the pagan festivals honoring the Sun breaking through winter darkness. The Church declared we have the Son that breaks through the darkness as well. Pope Julius I chose December 25 and it was  called  the Feast of the Nativity. The custom spread beyond Rome  to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century.

The “why” of Christmas is, simply, love incarnate, kenotic love, amazing love! This love is more than eros  (that which is an attraction), more than just affection (phileo), but pure, uncompromising love. The Feast of the Nativity takes God’s self-giving to a totally new level. In Jesus we recognize that self-giving is the very nature of God. No more partial insights, no more trying to comprehend how God lives and loves as  Jesus is “the very imprint of God’s being.”

MEDITATION: Today is a day we realize that this One Solitary life, born into obscurity changed human destiny. This is not the script we would have written perhaps but if we look at the God of  history, we see that He  is the Master of change and unpredictability. He is at  works in times of crisis such as a pandemic and in the routine like the pregnancy of a young Jewish girl.  Benedict XVI, the Emeritus Bishop of Rome once said   “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction”. May we have such an encounter this day and always.

PRAYER: Jesus, the Light of the World, as we celebrate your birth may we begin to see the world in the light of the understanding you give us. As you chose the lowly, the outcasts, and the poor to receive the greatest news the world had ever known, so may we worship you in meekness of heart. May we also remember our brothers and sisters less fortunate than ourselves in this season of giving. Amen.

Activity – The original Christmas story is about the ultimate gift given for the purpose of changing the world. Take time today to change a person’s world. Talk listen (and  maybe even sing Christmas carols) with those who would be blessed by a person changing their world.

ANCIENT WORDS/PRESENT GRACE: “When we keep the birthday of the Life, which destroys the fear of mortality and brings to us the joy of promised eternity. No one is kept from sharing in this happiness. There is for all one common measure of joy, because as our Lord the destroyer of sin and death finds nonfree from charge, so  He comes to free us all.”- St. Leo I

Blessing of the Gifts Around the Tree – Dec 24 & 25

Blessed be God in all his Glory   All reply: Now and forever.

One of those present reads a text of sacred Scripture, from Titus 3:4-7

But when the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy,
he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

The Word of the Lord

Let Us Pray:

Holy Lord, we come with joy to celebrate the birth of your Son,
who rescued us from the darkness of sin  by making the cross a tree of life and light.

May the gifts under this tree, arrayed in splendor, remind us of the life-giving event of Christ’s birth, that we may always rejoice  in the new life that shines in our hearts.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

Blessing the  Christmas Creche

Tonight, we recall that Mary and Joseph have finally reached the destination. The animals gathered round; the angels hovered above heralding the joyous event. Now on this night we again enthrone the Christ Child in the place we have prepared for Him.

Great and good God we stand before you in wonder and awe.

Leader: We thank you for the miracle of Jesus’ birth.  Response: May this creche remind us that Jesus is with us always.

Leader: May all parents share the deep and pure love that Mary and Joseph felt for their child. Response: May this holy family inspire all families.

Leader: May all children know the joy

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