The birth of the Newborn Savior is here! The Creator of the World waited in silence, then was born in complete humility and helplessness.
To most of the world at that time, His arrival was unknown; but for the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, the greatest miracle of all occurred – the gift of life and the fulfillment of God’s promise.
It is this part of God’s humble plan that really struck me this year as I reflected on that first Nativity. God had planned to redeem humanity and restore us to Himself. As God, He could have fulfilled this promise any way He wanted. Imagine a superhero coming or a royal prince appearing or even a mighty lightning bolt crashing down. But that was not God’s ultimate and perfect plan!
Instead, He chose to ask permission from a humble Jewish woman so that He could dwell nine months in secret within her womb in the most profoundly HUMAN experience! He chose to be an unborn baby, fully human and fully divine, awaiting the experience of the world that He created.
His presence as a growing baby inside Mary just a month or so after conception was recognized and celebrated by her cousin St. Elizabeth and her unborn baby St. John the Baptist at Mary’s Visitation. What a proclamation of the dignity of the life of unborn babies!
This should strike at all of us – the profound dignity that the Incarnation gave to human life. God, a Supreme, Infinitely Perfect Being, wanted to world to know the preciousness of human life in all its forms and ages! So precious that He came to Earth born as one of us to redeem all of us. Every human life is precious to God.
In humble adoration, we bow down and celebrate the King of Kings, born not in a castle or even a comfortable home but a manager with animals around. Lowly shepherds and their sheep were His first visitors. The brightest announcement of His arrival was the star shining above. His first proclamation to the world was the gentle cry of a newborn baby held in the arms of His loving parents – human life is worth living and dying for!
Merry Christmas! May your family have a joyful and blessed celebration of the birth of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
