The Grace Of God Has Appeared

Tonight, the grace of God has appeared.

In the child, Jesus, whose birth we celebrate, God Himself comes down to earth. This child whom we call “The Prince of Peace” is God stooping down to us in our loneliness and  lowliness. We could not find our way to Him so He came down to us.

This feast of Christmas shatters any illusions we might have of a God who is aloof, who keeps His distance from us or who is unconcerned with our suffering and pain. By appearing among us in the most vulnerable way imaginable - as a baby totally dependent on others - He shows His willingness to experience the human condition as we do. He literally “gets under our skin” to feel intimacy, joy and tenderness as we experience it. In so doing, He is also willing to feel cold, hunger, discomfort, rejection and suffering.

Jesus Christ is God’s hand stretched out in friendship to us. He is God’s arms spread wide, welcoming us and drawing us to Himself. This baby is our Heavenly Father’s love letter to us, His revelation of His earnest desire to share this world with us - not from a safe distance but up close and personal.

In the light of so great a mystery it is right for us to rejoice. We should all put our daily routine on pause to celebrate with family and friends this Christmas night when the light of God breaks like the dawn. It is only right that we make merry on this night when we commemorate the birth of our Saviour.

At the same time, we must remember that God waits for a response from us. Will we accept the offer of friendship He makes to us today? Will we take the hand He stretches out to us and allow Him to lift us up out of our weakness and sin? Will we live “justly, devoutly and temperately” in this life? Will we reorient our lives no longer setting our hearts only on this world and its fleeting pleasures but looking forward in joyful hope for the coming of the Lord? Only then can the grace of God which appears this night make a real and lasting difference in our lives and in our world.

The song of the angels, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests”, rings out through the centuries to this festive night. It calls us to rejoice in God’s promise fulfilled in the baby Jesus. It beckons us to seek Him out. For the shepherds who first heard that joyful announcement, the glory of God was hidden in a baby resting in His mother’s lap under the watchful eye of Saint Joseph. For us who gather here tonight to hear the good news proclaimed anew, God’s glory will be hidden in other ways. He is hidden in the person sitting next to you. He is hidden in the person you least admire or respect. He is hidden in the person we find it easy to ignore and overlook. Will we follow the shepherds lead and rush out to find Christ in our neighbor? Will it take a multitude of heavenly host to wake us up to the glory of God in everyone we meet?

What will make this Christmas special? What will make it unlike any other we have ever celebrated? What can we do to make the real and lasting joy of this holy day shine throughout the year? We can simply give our heart to Jesus. He willingly made Himself small so that He could fit into our hearts. We can welcome Him there to be born once again in us and to make of our souls His manger. It is as simple as turning to Him and saying, “Lord, come into my heart.” If we ask Him sincerely, He will answer our prayer. Then we will experience our darkness being scattered by His light, our cold hearts being warmed by His love and our tired souls being strengthened by His grace. If we do so, then this Christmas will always be remembered as the day when our lives changed forever.

Filled with the joy of this beautiful feast, I wish all of you a merry and joyous Christmas. I pray that it not only be a pleasant and restful day for you and your families, but that it bring a real change of heart. I pray that our celebration tonight opens our eyes to our Savior cold, suffering and lonely in the poor among us. I pray that it brings us the joy that comes not from having a few days off from school or work but from having Jesus alive in our hearts. Finally, I pray that, just as Jesus came down to earth to spread the love of the Father, we may spread the love of God wherever we go. That is the meaning of this Christmas day. That is the glory which makes its appearance on earth all because of the birth of a small child.