A Ukrainian beaded icon of St. Nicholas is seen at the St. Nicholas Center in Holland Michigan (Courtesy of the St. Nicholas Center)
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
For Canadians it has been an extraordinary year of celebrations as we commemorated the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation. Throughout this great nation communities large and small found their own special way to celebrate.
On Canada Day throughout the land there were parades, picnics, family and neighbourhood barbecues, and, of course, fireworks, bringing the day to a glorious close.
In each of our families, no doubt, we also celebrated other events: a birthday, an anniversary, a wedding, or a graduation. Celebrations have great meaning as long as we understand what is being celebrated and why we celebrate it. And even if we don’t completely understand a particular celebration, as is frequently the case in a multicultural and diverse country such as ours, we can at least tell a joyful celebration from a sorrowful one.
So what does Christmas mean to us? Why do we celebrate it? How do we mark the feast? Our consumer society certainly gives us enough notice of the “holiday season” through endless commercials and advertising. We are urged to go to Christmas parties, to make our holiday plans well in advance, to purchase gifts, and decorate our homes.
On radio and television talk shows we are told to not wait till the last moment to purchase Christmas presents and to make holiday plans early in order to avoid stress.
We may even know people who begin their Christmas gift shopping for the next year almost as soon as Christmas is over, already thinking of the people to whom they will want to give a gift, and thus purchasing presents throughout the entire year.
We probably also know people who wait till the very last minute to make plans and purchase gifts, only to find that their lives have become topsy-turvy. Then the Christmas celebrations come and go so quickly that all that seemingly remains is an inner emptiness, the so called post-Christmas doldrums, or the after-Christmas party blues.
Is that the meaning of Christmas, a season of frenetic commercial activity?
In the Gospel of Luke, the Angel of the Lord announces: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Lk 2: 10-12)
Then the narrative continues: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Lk 2:13-14)
So, we are celebrating an event infinitely more important than Canadian Confederation, a family member’s birthday, or a wedding anniversary. We are celebrating the kind of good news that comes only once in human history: the birth of a Saviour, a Messiah. Christmas commemorates an event that continues to impact the lives of all men and women of faith: the co-eternal Son of God became one of us, so that we might share in his divinity.
Can we appreciate the real reason for the season? If we have not, it is never too late to receive the new-born Saviour in the stillness of a joyful heart, for his message of good news is offered to all men and women of good will. Let us ask for the grace needed to understand the incredible significance of the event. Let us pray, that we might have the courage to proclaim the truth about Christmas, boldly and with faith.
May each and every one of you be blessed with a Christmas full of joyful and profound celebration. Christ is born! Glorify him!
Bishop Nowakowski is the bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of New Westminster.