There’s the resounding of carols while one budges around in the city, the streets or villages and the exuding of joy is obviously felt deep within. Ohm, the streets are filled with Christmas decorations, music, songs and lights! The inner Inn is almost ready for the Special Guest of the Season!
Yes, three weeks have gone by… the voice in the desert is heard: “Prepare the way for the Lord, he is at hand”! Well, the two unsoiled purple candles have paved the way for the third one, on the Gaudete Sunday! Unravelled through the pink candle that declares Joy that which exudes from within ‘Rejoice’. A sign for immediate preparation! Sure after the remote preparations, the immediate preparation has begun – the serenading, the smell of burnt oil – nevreo, dodol…, the dirtying of hands with mud, gum, – crib, stars, lanterns, etc, etc. A Sacrament is an outward sign of inward grace, so too the immediate preparations are signs of inward joy, to receive the Grace!
One of the things people love about Christmas is that it truly is a joyful season. This season is celebrated with music, song and lights and decorations. We celebrate by getting together with family and friends and by exchanging gifts and the Christmas child! It is a joyful time of the year. This joy is witnessed in the scripture and is related to Christmas, related to Jesus. Christmas is all about Christ. There is no Christmas without Christ. There is no true joy without salvation, and there is no true salvation without joy. Because when you really reflect, the real joy at Christmas comes not from the lights and decorations and the music but from the meaning of Christmas.
The heart of Christmas is the unbelievable good news that Jesus Christ was born as a Saviour into this world. From beginning to the end the Christmas story is depicted dramatically (in the Bible), with various flare-ups and moments of joy, and they all centre on the birth of Christ. You can’t spell Christmas without Christ, so no Christmas without Jesus!!!
Jesus has brought us salvation. And he is the cause of the joy of our salvation. This joy is witnessed and noticed at the visitation: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy” Lk. 1: 41-45. So too, the Magi saw the Star, “the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed” Mt. 2: 10
The Joy of the birth of Jesus is manifested by proclamation and praise. We have the angels glorifying God at the birth of Jesus and an angel proclaiming to the shepherds: “Today in the town of David, a Saviour has been born for you… This will be a sign to you: “You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger” Lk 2: 11-12. When the shepherds heard this good news of great joy, first they checked it out for themselves and then spread the word to others. This was good news of great joy for all the people, and it would have been wrong for them to keep it to themselves. Joy leads to proclamation.
Joy paved the way to Praise. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen which were just as they had been told. While Mary, after she hears the words of prophecy from Elizabeth, Mary was filled with joy and wonder as her cousin Elizabeth spoke words of blessing and favour over her and the child she carried in her womb. Her joy could not be contained, and she burst out in a song of praise in Luke 2: 46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour…”
As we are on the threshold of nativity, lets, cry out with David, as he prayed after he sinned in psalm 51: 12 “restore unto me the joy of thy salvation”, so that “with joy I may draw water from the wells of salvation” Is.12: 3. Yes, with great joy draw great buckets of praise and thanksgiving from the great reservoir of blessings that God has given and proclaim: The birth of Jesus is not only news it is good news of great joy for all the people! And let’s hear the angel’s message given to the shepherds that first Christmas night: “Today, in the town of David (in your heart, in your family, in your life) a Saviour has been born for you…” Lk 2: 11. The Joy of thy Salvation!!! “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice, Indeed the Lord is near”. Phil 4: 4-5.
