Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a sacred feast celebrated on December 25 that invites the faithful to reflect on the profound mystery of the Word made flesh and God’s greatest gift to humanity, Jesus, through the Virgin Mary.
At the heart of this celebration is the Holy Family; Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Their faithful love and humility exemplify the ideal Christian family, where love, faith and sacrifice are a witness to the presence of God.
The celebration of Christmas unfolds with the vigil Mass, where the faithful contemplate the Nativity through scripture. The Christmas season begins, lasting twelve days and ending on the eve of the Epiphany. The Epiphany, celebrated on January 6, commemorates the Magi’s visit, when three kings followed a star that led them to Jesus in Bethlehem. The kings presented the baby Jesus with gifts often given to royalty, which included gold, frankincense and myrrh, which were foreshadows of his future reign.
Gifts are a beautiful part of Christmas, shared with family and friends as a sign of our love for one another. However, the deepest gift we celebrate on Christmas day is the Nativity of Jesus, given to us as God’s own love made flesh.
On this holy day, we share God’s love generously and give thanks for the greatest gift of all, Jesus, born for our salvation.