I don’t want to just celebrate Christ being born again this Christmas Day. I need Christ to be born again this Christmas Day. I hunger for Christ to be born again this Christmas Day. Why? Because He is the Prince of Peace! The gospels offer multiple accounts of Christ healing broken people and broken in multiple fashions to boot. But nothing is impossible for Lord of Heaven and Earth.
He heals all who come to Him. And He heals in a world then that was itself broken. And that’s why I need Him to be born now. This very world of today is broken, and as a natural follow-up, so are its inhabitants.
I could say it’s because of sin, but perhaps that word is overused. People have become numb to its’ usage. If we all want Christ to be born again, the desire must come from the depth of our feelings. That’s how it was 2,000 years ago when He was born. There were strong feelings being expressed then, right across the spectrum. People were astonished. Some rejoiced. Some hated Him already and wanted Him dead. See! Like I said, right across the spectrum from happiness to hate. Nobody wrote a theological book or a spiritual manual – at least not right away. Rather, they were all in touch with their needs and its’ resulting feelings.
If you were only concerned with yourself, like Herod, you wanted Him dead. If you wanted healing for your country, or to go a step higher, the world, you saw the fulfillment of prophesy, and you rejoiced. So, this year, it’s a good idea for us to ask ourselves what we want and need. Or we can ask what the world wants and need? Asking the last question really expands our awareness. I mean, it’s good to ask for ourselves, but as we take the time to see more, we inevitably see the worlds pain. Then we cannot help but get emotional. Then we can take that enriched awareness back to ourselves. I read once of a man who over years found it delightful to show people a picture of his family. Years later he looked at this same picture himself, as he did many times before, but this time really looked at it.
And finally noticed that his wife looked depressed. Thinking back, he had to admit that she was depressed. He never noticed that before. But at least he noticed it now. He has an opportunity to dialogue with his wife and help heal the relationship. Christ is born for him.
We will naturally enjoy the day and being with family and friends. We’ll enjoy opening the gifts. But this year, it’d be great if we did more than that, and just ask ourselves, “what does the world want and need?” Feel the answer to that question. And really want Christ to be born.
Blessings, Fr. Walter
