Nothing More To Say
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Each year priests and ministers work hard to prepare their Christmas homily. Knowing the church will be full, they seek the best possible words and stories to explain the mystery of Christmas Day. Despite their best efforts and oratorical skills, the actual birth of Jesus says it all! Find out why, there is nothing more to say. Please read more.
Imagine going to church on Christmas morning and witnessing the following. After proclaiming the Gospel narrative regarding the birth of the Christ child, the minister or priest begins his homily with these words, “I have nothing more to say,” after which he sits in silence. How would the congregation react? Need he say anything more? Is there, in fact, anything more to say? Have we lost the wonder of what happened on that first Christmas morning? The Son of God was born of a virgin and became man. These words glibly role off our tongue as if virgin births were a common occurrence. There is nothing common about it. Even the most eloquent homily cannot fully articulate the mystery. There truly are no words to add. If a virgin giving birth to the Son of God does not change our life, what will?
The Bible tells us:
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.
“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.”
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”
We must let these words sink into the depths of our being. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to be one with us. The author of life took on the lowly aspects of a tiny baby. He lived, suffered, died, and rose from the dead, so that those who believe in Him can have eternal life with God. After thousands of years of longing for a savior, here is what the Bible says about the birth of the Messiah.
From John’s Gospel
And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.
From Luke’s Gospel
“But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
From Matthew’s Gospel
For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.”
Jesus has come to save us from our sins. He came to give us eternal life. The virgin birth of the Son of God two thousand years ago was astonishing, yet that event is rendered meaningless unless we allow Jesus to be born anew in our lives today!
There is no greater story, nor is there a better Christmas present than the birth of our Savior. We must never let the Biblical narratives about the miraculous birth of Christ grow old. We cannot allow His birth to become a historical footnote, nor merely a cover picture on a Hallmark greeting card. A virgin gave birth to the Son of God who came to save us from our sins! That story should forever astonish us! There is simply nothing more to say!
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
AMDG
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Brian,
Thank you very much for such a concise and eloquent message. Indeed, we’ve heard the Gospel stories our entire lives and they can get old if we let them. Holiday busyness has a way of obscuring the true meaning of Christmas and as much as we try to keep the focus where it needs to be. Life and its distractions still manage to sneak their way into our thoughts, and before we know it, we’re thinking about the next thing to do instead of really listening to the words that are read at Mass.
You have a way of clearing through the fog and zeroing in on the point. Thank you. Your words sustain us throughout the year and always point us back to where we need to be. May God continue to bless your and your family’s lives and your ministry. You continue to be a blessing in my life and the lives of all that you reach.
Merry Christmas! Happy Epiphany!
Lucy