CHRISTMAS – SOLEMNITY OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS: HOMILY BY FR. JUSTIN ADIELE

THEME: “WE NOW KNOW HIM, RECEIVE HIM, AND SING HIS SONG”

INTRODUCTION:

After several centuries of the prophecy of Isaiah about the virgin birth of the Emmanuel, the first Christmas was celebrated when many people no longer know how, when, and where the Saviour King would be born. Many have waited and waited until they gave up their waiting. Many had forgotten the prophecy. But today, we replay the prophecy, we waited, and we now know how, when and where the Emmanuel would be born. We now know him, receive him, and sing his song at Christmas.

 

THE FIRST READING (IS. 52: 7 – 10)

We are happy again today to bring the good tidings of comfort and joy occasioned by the birth and reign of our God. We break forth into singing for we have seen the salvation of our God; for our redeemer is here with us. We are part of the ends of the earth that are fortunate to see and experience God’s salvation. From January to December, God’s salvation has preserved us total physical and spiritual annihilation. And we have cause to sing for joy and celebrate.

 

THE SECOND READING (HEB. 1: 1 – 6)

We now know and recognize God in his Son who is the image of the invisible God; who revealed to us the nature and glory of God. We now know and receive Jesus Christ the Son of God as the power that made and upholds the universe, and worship him like the three wise men.

 

THE GOSPEL READING (JN. 1: 1 – 18)

From the gospel reading we now know and receive Jesus as God himself, as our true light, and as our maker and never again join the wagon of those who knew him not and received him not. Today, we lay claim to the grace upon grace allotted to those who knew, received and believed him. Kudos to those having their First Holy Communion today; they are receiving the newborn Christ in a special way in the Eucharist today. And we pray for the grace of spiritual growth and heavenly favours upon them today.

 

CONCLUSION

The Christ we know and receive whose birth we commemorate today, shall save today, enlighten our homes today, restore us today, and fill each and every one of us with a joyful song as we sing- Joy to the World…!

Happy Christmas!

Fr. Justin

 CHRISTMAS: The Nativity of the Lord: Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Theme: "It will be Christmas if…"

Readings: 1st Is 52:7–10; 2nd Heb 1:1–6; Gosp. Jn 1:1–18

Dear friends in Christ, I would want today's homily to centre on a theme different from those we heard from the readings of today. During the Christmas music concert (Cantata) that we did at Prantantico, Arezzo, Italy, on December 15, 2023, one of the fourteen songs that we rendered struck a special key in my heart, and I want today’s homily to centre on that particular song. The theme of the song is ‘Sarà Natale se…’ (‘It will be Christmas if…’). I don’t know if all those who sang or heard this particular song were touched by it the way I was touched.

This song began by informing all of us that “we have a special task this Christmas.” What is this special task? It says, “it is to remind the world that it is Christmas.” So, we have the pastoral duty to remind those we encounter from today (our family members, our colleagues at work, and our friends everywhere, including online friends) that today is Christmas and that we are in a Christmas season. This means that we will not be indifferent to those around us; rather, we must tell them about the reason for this season we are celebrating; we must tell them that our savior has visited us anew; we must wish them a happy Christmas; we must talk to someone about Christmas. We have to become announcers of the presence of Christ.

This song then said that “if we put wings on our hearts, we will be angels that bring love.” So, dear friends, we are not just to give people a dry and empty Christmas greeting; rather, our Christmas greetings must carry love; they must impart love in the lives of those who received them. We are to be the harbingers of the good news of love, announcing to the whole world with cheerfulness and love that our Saviour is here, just as the angels that appeared to the shepherds on that very night announced that the savior has been born.

Then, the song went on to say, “it will be Christmas if you love; it will be Christmas if you donate, and if you call someone to come and stay with you. It will be Christmas if you live, if you laugh, and if you extend your hand to someone who suffers more. It will be Christmas if you seek, if you believe, and if you sing every day with friends.”

What are these beautiful lines of this song telling us? They are telling us that our Christmas will be true Christmas only and only when we love others, only when we donate to others, when we laugh with others, when we extend the hands of help to those who suffer among us, when we are cheerful with the people around us, and only when we put smiles on the faces of the people around us. If we don’t do any of these things, we are not celebrating a real Christmas. This is a challenge to us. So, it is possible that some people can do all the merriments associated with Christmas and, yet, they didn’t actually celebrate Christmas. If our Christmas celebration is empty of these beautiful actions mentioned in this song, we didn’t celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus.

Then, finally, the song went on to say that “our Christmas will be real Christmas if it doesn’t last for only an hour or for a day, but Christmas for an entire year.” This is an invitation for us to make each day of our lives a Christmas. It means we don’t have to smile, laugh with people, donate to people, extend our hands to help others, believe in God, and call others to stay with us only on the day of Christmas, but all the days of our lives. This song is inviting us to do good every day of our lives. Let’s, therefore, make every day of our lives a Christmas.

Peace be with you as you make today a true Christmas. Happy Christmas.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 CHRISTMAS: Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Theme: His name is Emmanuel – God is with us

Readings: 1st Is 52:7–10; 2nd Heb 1:1–6; Gosp. Jn 1:1–18

My dearest brothers and sisters, Happy Christmas. On that very night of the birth of Christ, the heavens were filled with joy, the earth was filled with the glory of God, the angels sang with joy to the glory of God, the shepherd could not hide their admiration of the marvellous presence of God, the sheep knelt and welcomed Christ with good cheers, and the stars danced and shined like never before. It was indeed a night of grace.

So, we have every reason to rejoice, for the Savior has come to visit us again. His name is Emmanuel: God is with us. God has revealed to us what many prophets, kings, and wise men longed to see but could not.

From the time Adam and Eve sinned against God and fell short of His glory and love, God started searching for a way to come close to man again, let us say to restore man to his glory. Through many ways he revealed himself to the people of old and spoke with them according to the second reading of today. Through many means he prepared them for the coming of his son.

Finally, in our own time, the appointed time, he has revealed himself to us and spoken to us through his Son. The birth of Christ was the fullness of God’s revelation to humanity, the full manifestation of the love and glory of God to men, and the manifestation of the light that dispels the darkness of sin and death.

With the birth of Christ, God has broken the reign of sin; he has dispelled the power of darkness and restored us back to his friendship. We have become his loving children once more.

My dearest people, Christ now lives in our midst. God, in the birth of His Son, took flesh and lived among us. This is the mystery of Incarnation. He is no longer far from our reach. He has come down from heaven to be close to all of us. He is living with you; He is living with me. His name is Emmanuel – God is with us.

If God is close to us now, it means he will feel what we feel and know our problems too. Therefore, let us not be afraid to call him our brother and also invite him into our lives.

However, in the Gospel of today, John told us that He came to his people, and his own didn’t welcome him. Let us ask ourselves some questions. Could it be true that there are some people among us who still find it very difficult to welcome Christ into their private lives? Are there people who still prefer to live according to their own designs and not according to the teaching of Christ? Who are those in our midst that can be classified as ‘his own that refused to welcome him?’ We may not know for sure; it could be any person. But what is clear is that we refuse to welcome Christ when we hate other people, because Christ is the author of love. We reject Christ when we fail to forgive others, because Christ is the God of mercy. We reject Christ when we open ourselves to sin, because Christ is the master of holiness. We reject Christ when we fail to be kind to others, because Christ is the prince of kindness. This Christmas gives all those who have been rejecting Christ a great opportunity to change their lives and welcome Him; He is the light and joy of the world.

The Gospel of today equally told us that to those who accepted him, he gave the power to become the sons and daughters of God. Dearest brothers and sisters, Christ is knocking at the door of your hearts. His name is Emmanuel – God is with us. He wants to be with you. He wants to be with me too. He wants to make you heir to the kingdom of God. Let us, therefore, open our hearts and homes and welcome him.

Happy Christmas to you and your family.  

Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 CHRISTMAS: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: TO DWELL WITH US, THE WORD BECAME FLESH

(John 1:1-18)

What a wonder! What a mystery! What an awesome manifestation of love! This is indeed an incomprehensible act. The Divine comes to become human, the Creator coming to become a creature, the Holy coming to embrace the mundane. This is, for sure, a mystery. Are we to venture into this discussion? Is there any way of understanding such an act? Is this actually possible? If no human can condescend this low, why God?

Yes, because with God, nothing is impossible. God did that which is beyond our expectation. It is among the many reasons why Mary asked how these will come about, and the reply she received was that nothing is impossible with God. The message is that there is no extent God cannot go to save you. There is no risk He has not taken, and there is none that He will not take just to set you free.

All these are because He loves you. Yes, I mean you. He took the risk of coming in fragility, in weakness, in coldness, in poverty. He took the risk of being exposed to hostility of the world, the cruelty of mankind, and the temptations to sin. And from all these He set you free, He made us like God while becoming like man.

He is the ancient of days but became a babe for you. He loves you.

He was with God, but He became Immanuel to be with you. He values you

He is God. He is the Second Person of The Holy Trinity, but He dwelt among you. He loves to come where you are to take you to where He is.

Yes He is here with light to drive away every darkness in your life.

He is here with holiness to destroy your sins

He is here as the prince of peace to restore the shattered peace of your life.

May the word of God that has taken FLESH today dwell in our hearts.

 

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS

May God abide with you and never depart from you.

May you recognize Him and be delivered from the danger of taking His presence for granted. His people didn't recognize Him.

May you recognize Him in the Eucharist, recognize Him in the lowly, recognize Him, and give Him a place wherever you are. May you be among those He will give the power of becoming children of God. May your adoption remain permanent.

May you be joyful indeed, for Great in your midst is the Holy One. May Christ the Immanuel make all things well for you. Rejoice for He loves you at Christmas and always. As you endeavour to take Christ to the masses, to make the masses recognize this great Saviour may the blessings of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit come down upon you and remain with you and your family both now and forever. Amen

Rejoice, be glad, exult.

Ñuriwanu n'omumu Kristi, Happy Christmas, Joyeaux Noël, Feliz Navidad.

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh