Merry Christmas!
Tonight we celebrate the fact that God became Flesh and dwelt among us. To this reality the angels praised God saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” We joined with these angels today as we sang the “Gloria” “Glory to God in the Highest” proclaiming this same joy throughout the world.
From the beginning of the Gospel of Saint John we are told, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” We are later told, “And the Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among us.”
A literal translation of this word “dwelt” would be “and He pitched His tent among us.” This is a beautiful statement for it draws a connection to the Old Testament. In the Old Testament God dwelt among us in the Ark of the Covenant and a tent was pitched known as the tabernacle. It is here that God’s presence dwelt despite the many problems and anxieties that came with the life of the Jewish people.
In the Church we continue to encounter the literal presence of God who dwells among us. The Lord is present among us in the Most Holy Eucharist. It is hard to fathom that so many can be complacent to this reality for this is truly the presence of Christ who has taken on our human flesh and pitched His tent among us.
The world continues to be filled with the problems and anxieties of life, but we must always remember that Christ’s presence among us is something which remains. We have not been left lost and abandoned, but He has came in order that we may be redeemed. Despite what we may endure within this life let us always go to Christ and place our trust in Him.
As the Christmas account continues to unfold we encounter angels, shepherds, and magi who come to do Him homage. The shepherds and magi had their own problems and anxieties just like those in the Old Testament, but they came to discover He who had come to set us free from sin and death. There is no greater joy that we can encounter than journeying with them unto the Lord whose presence is among us.
Today we will come to encounter Him in the Holy Eucharist where He comes to dwell among us. We like the angels, the shepherds, and the magi should come to adore Him and place Him first in our life. In this manner all the problems and anxieties of this life will be no match for Christ who is the Word made Flesh who pitched His tent among us.
Have a blessed Christmas!
