In the depths of the darkest weeks of the year, we celebrate the birth of a little child who will say later of himself:  “Before Abraham came to be, I am”.  He, who was with the Father from all eternity, became human and lived among us.  Why did He become human? He said: I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.  By sheer divine goodness he came into the world, so that we might live in a covenant relationship, a respectful and affectionate relationship with God and with one another, and ultimately inherit eternal life.                            

A young man said to me one day: “Had God not given us those commandments we would be so much happier”. That was what I consider a blasphemy, for the ten commandments are good indicators for our journey through life.  They are given for our security, welfare and happiness;  they are given for a more human way of living together and for a better world.

 When people do not keep any more the commandments, then the quality of life progressively worsens, and a police-state with over crowded prisons becomes the order of the day.  God is a truly good Father.  He wishes for us only peace, love and happiness.  He points the way by good commandments, by the example of his Son. and by the example of the true followers of Jesus. They stand out as lights to the world. God’s dream for the world is a dream of happiness but He counts on each one of us for the fulfilment of this dream.  He offers life to each of us, life in abundance, life that will never end. 

Let the one who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her, Jesus said. He well knew that we all are poor sinners. That indeed is why He delivered himself entirely through suffering and death on the cross.  On the evening of Holy Thursday, He left us a memorial of it through sacramental signs: Take and eat, this is my Body. Take and drink, this is my Blood poured out for you.  Drink from it all of you, it is the blood of the new covenant which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.

With the help of his grace and the energy of the Holy Spirit we are rendered worthy to live before Him in all justice and holiness.  That truly is grace, divine gift, given gratuitously by a God full of goodness and love.  His dream for humanity is in the process of becoming reality down through the ages for all peoples and generations.  That process began in very small steps on Christmas Day when the Infant was born in a manger.  It was the beginning of a new era for all humanity.  Mary was chosen to be his well beloved mother.  At the angel’s message she answered 'FIAT' and by this 'YES' the child was conceived in her virginal womb, and on Christmas day she gave birth to the Son of God. 

Saint John’s version of the Good News begins like this:  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. The Word was God. All things came to be through Him. He was in the world,  the world came to be through Him and did not recognise Him.  But to all those who did accept Him He gave the power to become children of God.

The faith professed by the children of God is a true richness in life.  Let us then be watchful and live profoundly this faith!  We can effectively do so during moments of silence and prayer set aside in our daily schedules and emanating from our weekly participation in the Eucharist.  There the priest shows us how to live in a Christian way, which means to live lives of integrity,  justice and service, to live religiously and in all honesty. 

During the Eucharistic Celebrations we learn also to be attentive to the needs of neighbours, especially of the most vulnerable, the needy, the despairing;  we learn to be attentive and helpful to the tormented in "to-day's vast world". May all our works of charity illuminate our human life, just as the many flickering lights light up the Christmas tree.  That is how we become true disciples of the Infant in the manger, true followers of Jesus the Risen Lord. 

So we can grow in goodness before God and men.  This was said of Jesus at the age of twelve: He advanced in wisdom, age and favour before God and man. This can be the same for each one of us.  It will be the beginning of a happy future.  Do think of the proverb: “Happiness is like a boomerang.  It bounces back on the one who sends it forth”.  With all our heart  we wish you this happiness...  Happy and Holy Feast of Christmas!

Father Andrew Loyson, Klein Bijgaardenstraat 27A, 1600 Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium
Tel. 02.333.08.38   www.hoogdagartikel.com