Christmas Eve

It is Christmas eve. Families are preparing around the world by cooking meals, organizing gifts and telling children stories.  Kids are probably anxious awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus or are watching him on NORAD. Each of our families have different customs and rituals that are carried out on this day. However, we must not forget that this time is about the Christ child.  We are commemorating the first coming of Christ to the world at Bethlehem. At the same time, we are awaiting His second coming as we have reflected on during Advent.

That first readings tells us of the people who walked in darkness and have seen a great light.  These represent the people who waited for Christ over 2,000 years ago and also ourselves today in 2016. The world is still in darkness. We see on the news the dread and evil that takes place around the world. It just never ends. Even as I write this, the NYPD are investigating the murder of a mother and child of four years of age. The perpetrator was a teen lover the mother had when she was a teacher; he was her student. The crime is just horrific. Unfortunately, this even it just one of the many that have occurred around the world or is about to occur.  There is no doubt that this world is in darkness. It just keeps getting worse. California is about to legalize child prostitution. States around the United States have legalized marijuana recreational use. The confusion of what gender is continues in the public debate square. I can go on and on, but you get the point. Things are not getting any better.  However, we have seen a great light!  This light is Christ the Lord.  On this land and this world of gloom and doom and light has shone. A child is born to us. This son is Wounder-Counselor, god-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of peace.  Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.  This is what Christmas eve is all about. We await in anticipation the birth of the Savior.  This Savior is the light of the world. It is amazing to think that Hanukkah coincided with today. The festival of lights leads into the birth of the light of the world. The old goes into the new. This light of the world illumines our minds and hearts.  He is the grace of God personified training us to reject atheism and immorality.  He teaches us how to live temperately and justly.

This is what Christmas is all about. Family time, Santa Claus, dinners, gift giving are all fine and dandy, but are meaningless without the Christ child. Christ is the center of the family. Santa Claus is a caricature of St. Nicholas of Myra who served Jesus and defended His divinity against Arius. Kids must be made aware of this. All things, all customs in our families must be geared towards Christ. The Gospel tells us the story of of the Nativity.  In the time of Caesar Augustus and child was born unto us, born of the Virgin Mary.  He was born in a humble state, not in a hospital or palace. Despite this, the little baby boy is King. The Savior of the world was born. This is no myth. No scholar today accepts the tired Christ myth theory. Only Richard Carrier continues to promote refuted ideas which attack Christ's historicity. The truth of the matter is that there is more evidence for Christ than for even Socrates. We know of Socrates via Plato who wrote on him. For all we know, Plato could have made him up to complete his republic thought experiment. All serious scholars acknowledge that there was a child born named Jesus Christ.  Anyone who denies this wallows in ignorance and disrespects academia. During this Christmas eve, let us meditate on the events that took place. These were real events that took place on earth. Reflect on this fact and realize that God is indeed real. The Bible is indeed true.  What the Catholic Church is and teaches is of God, not man. Let us look upon this light so that we can walk out of this darkness we call our world.



Readings:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/122512-mass-at-midnight.cfm