The Mystery of Christmas: Your words can become flesh as well

Second Sunday of Christmas | Year A |

On this day the Church calls us to reflect on the mystery of Christmas. Why the mystery of Christmas? Because only mysteries are found the secrets of God hidden from the wise and intelligent but revealed to those who believe (Cf. Lk 10:21) and only in the interpretation and understanding of divine mysteries do we come to understand the envy of the enemy-devil and find wisdom to overcome his tactics.

Although we know the beautiful meaning of Christmas as the birth of the newborn king- Jesus, given to us by the Gospels according to Matthew and Luke, today John declares that “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1,18). What does this mean?

1. It means God became man in Jesus Christ. The church fathers call the incarnation “a divine exchange” : God takes our humanity and gives us his divinity, making us children of God.
2. The Word became flesh also mean that Jesus fulfills all the prophecies of the Old Testament. Beginning with Genesis 3:15 the coming of Jesus as the savior of mankind from sin and Satan had been in the mind and thought of God. The prophets prophesied that he would be of the tribe of Jesse (Jer 23: 5), born of a virgin and called Immanuel (Is 7:14), born in Bethlehem (Micah 5: 2).
3. The Word became flesh  also means that we can experience God’s glory, grace and truth when we believe in the gospel because God is fully present in his words.
4. The Word became flesh  is the true meaning of Christmas which also reveals the most holy sacrament as the source and summit of our faith and our worship.
5. As the Shepherds adored the newborn Jesus and the Magi made a long journey to pay homage to him with gifts in the manger, so we gather around the table of the Eucharist to adore Jesus born for us every day at Mass through the “Word made flesh” spoken by the priests .
6. And therefore anyone who denies these truths denies God. The devil also admits these truths but deceives men to deny them. Just as he is doing today that Catholics have little or no reverence for the most holy sacrament.
   And we are all guilty: the faithful, the priests and the extraordinary ministers. We no longer revere Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. We receive communion without reverence, we go to the tabernacle without reverence, we cross the altar without reverence. Our churches are gradually becoming theaters as we lose the touch of the Mystery behind our worship. We are always in a hurry: we read the readings hurriedly, without patience or meditation, but we spend lots of time and hours in theaters having fun. May God help us and save his church. Amen.

•  Remember, God has given you the power to make your words come alive, so make good use of that power.