Bishop: Celebrate Nativity of our Lord like never before

My brothers and sisters in Christ,

How we need a little Christmas right this very minute! Many people are saying this Christmas will again be a subdued one. The pandemic continues and rising inflation has come down full force upon our country and, in reality, the entire world. The fears that have stalked us with our military overseas, threats of attacks and terrorism, all contribute to make us a little more somber this year. It also contributes to the weakening of the value and dignity of all human life and hence to life giving celebrations, like Christmas.

Back in December 1941, our fellow Americans were experiencing a tough Christmas, too, as just a few weeks before Christmas, Pearl Harbor was attacked. Likewise at that time, U.S. service men and women joined the Allies in the war against Germany in Europe. In the midst of all of this – that year – December 1941 – British Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited the U.S. and gave a speech urging all Americans, as well as his countrymen and women in Great Britain, to celebrate Christmas with as much joy and hope as they could.   
 

He encouraged them saying: “Let the children have their night of fun and laughter, let the gifts of Father Christmas delight their play. Let grown-ups share to the full in their unstinted pleasures. . . resolved that by our sacrifice and daring, these same children shall not be robbed of their inheritance or denied their right to live in a free and decent world.”
 

My brothers and sisters in Christ, we, too, need to celebrate the great feast of Christmas, the birth of our Lord. Christmas celebrates so much more than a singular, spectacular, loving event of 2,000 years ago – it is even more than the birth of our Saviour in Bethlehem long ago. Christmas celebrates a presence that continues to this day and for all time. St. Matthew reminded us in the Gospel, what we celebrate is “Emmanuel,” that is “God is with us.” “The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means God is with us.”  He is always close to us, especially in the great gift of the Eucharist in which God shares His very self with us.
 

In Christ’s birth, the eternal triune God, who was forever and will be, stoops down from Heaven, and takes on human flesh to become one like us, so that He knows our condition and can redeem it. St. Matthew states, “She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” A whole new world came into being with Jesus’ birth. After thousands and thousands of years of preparation, which we heard about during Advent and read all through the Old Testament, Christ comes to fulfill God’s promise and initiate a new reign where hope has a favored place, and justice and peace will flourish in His time.   
 

Yes, God humbles Himself and becomes man so that we can be with Him now and forever. This is our hope. Let us recognize the arrival of the King of Peace and celebrate it like we have never before. Let it change us forever this year. There is no thing, possession nor person, in this world that can take the place of knowing Christ, born for us, and loving Him from the heart. The wisdom of God is found in knowing Him and embracing Him with love, adoration and grateful praise. There is no way around this, no shortcut to happiness that can be recommended, no substitute or fast-track plan that will accomplish this.   
 

So despite any of the anxiety, fears or pain caused by our situation this year, we should and must celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord. But we must do more than just remember it. This year we must rediscover the holy presence that continues into eternity, our true and one hope, “Emmanuel.”  May our receiving of Jesus in the Eucharist as we honor and remember His incarnation, help us to see our current situation with the vision of God Himself. Yes, my brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter what we feel and no matter what others say, God is very much with us and for us, and that we need to celebrate!
 

Know of my love and prayers for you and may all of you have a blessed Christmas and 2022.

With renewed best wishes, I remain

Yours in Christ,

Most Reverend James F. Checchio, JCD, MBA

Bishop of Metuchen