By Susan Ciancio
As we approach Christmas and think about the coming of the Christ Child, we can’t help but also ponder the fact that our Savior, who came to us as a baby, now comes to us during every single Mass. And we can receive Him if we are free of mortal sin. What an incredible gift!
Imagine the love Our Father must feel for us! If we are ever in doubt, we need only look at the crucifix and think about the torture He withstood so that we could have eternal life.
Is it any wonder that, in the song “O Holy Night,” we hear that “the weary world rejoices”?
Are you weary? Do you find yourself feeling less than joyful this Christmas? Maybe you’re missing family, maybe you’re lamenting the state of the world, or maybe you feel lonely or physically unhealthy. All of those things can weigh us down. God knows that. He understands our pain, and He walks with us through that pain.
He never promised us that His coming would stop all of the bad things in life. But He did promise that, in Him and through Him, we could—together—conquer those bad things and rejoice with Him for all eternity.
So as we approach Christmas, let us look to the manger and to the vulnerable baby who came to give us life. Let us then ponder the lives we have led so far. No, we are not worthy, but Jesus came anyway. No we are not perfect, but Jesus is. No we are not sinless, but God forgives.
If we are to truly rejoice at His coming, we must reflect on our lives and promise that baby that we will do better and that we will work to make the world a better and more loving place. We must promise to sow the peace He came to impart, to follow His laws and teach our children to do the same, and to show others that we value them as children of God. This is how we build that culture of life. This is how we show that we are truly rejoicing for the greatest gift we have ever been given: Jesus Christ.
And to remind us of His sacrifice and His love, Jesus comes to us at every Mass. He comes so that we can take solace in Him and receive that foretaste of heaven.
So yes, let us rejoice, for He has come to save. That should bring us unending joy.
Merry Christmas from all of us at the Culture of Life Studies Program!