December
24
Reflection
on: Mt.1:18-25
by Nguyen Xuan
There are people who fear, maybe even dread, the
approach of Christmas. It's not Christmas itself that causes this fear. I mean
the religious side of it. The source of this fear lies elsewhere.
For some
it's the hassle and the extra work that makes them fearful. For others it's the
strain put on their already overstretched finances by the Christmas splurge.
For others it's fear of the conflicts that sometimes occur in families at
Christmas time. And for others it is the fact that Christmas reawakens painful
memories, the memory of a death or a tragedy that occurred around this time.
Also
where there has been a loss during the year, that loss is felt again,
intensely, at Christmas. The sight of others surrounded by loved ones re‑
opens a wound that perhaps was beginning to heal. The result is an intense
loneliness. Finally, one's fears may result from advancing age, with the
infirmities and sense of mortality this brings with it.
But those
who fear the approach of Christmas can take heart and hope from the story of
the first Christmas. There was plenty of fear present in it too. In fact, all
of the main characters in it were afraid at one time or another,
Joseph
was afraid when he found that Mary was expecting a child even though they
hadn't yet lived together. But an angel appeared to him in a dream and said to
him, Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has
conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. Words we hear in today's Gospel.
Joseph, the just man, trusted God, and so overcame his fear and did what was
right. Joseph was a man who gave everything in the service of Christ. His
example gives us courage to face problems in a similar spirit and to keep on
believing when all seems hopeless. Along with Mary he is singled out as the one
who can best prepare us for Christmas. We are asked to receive Christ as freely
and fully into our hearts. Our hearts as he did and to make
the major decisions of our lives based on the faith given to us from God. Mary was afraid on hearing the greeting of
the angel Gabriel. But the angel said to her, 'Mary, do not be afraid, you have
won God's favour.' The angel went on to tell her that she was to conceive and
bear a son by the power of the Holy Spirit, and she must name him Jesus. Mary
trusted God, and so overcame her fear and said 'yes' to what he was asking of
her.
And the
shepherds were afraid. The Gospel says that when the angel of the Lord appeared
to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, they were terrified. But
the angel said, 'Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of a great joy...
today a saviour has been born to you, he is Christ the Lord.' And they trusted
God, went to
All of us
are touched by fear. But we must not allow our fears to cripple us. What we
have to do is move from fear to faith. Trust is the thing that enables us to
turn fear into faith. And here is where Christmas can be a great help. Somehow
it's easier to trust in God at Christmas than at any other time, because we
feel that God is very close to us and very loving towards us at this time. In
Jesus, God comes to us in the form of a child. And surely no one can be afraid
of a child?
Christmas
challenges us to enter an intimate relationship with God, trusting that we will
receive love, and always more love.
By all
means, let us do whatever we can to improve our situation. But having done
that, let us leave what is outside our control in the hands of God. We must
take courage. Fear can be an opportunity, even a grace. It can force us to
trust in God rather than in ourselves.
Loneliness
too can be a grace. So, if we should feel lonely at Christmas, let us not be
alarmed. Our hearts are always longing for something more, or rather, for
someone else. In every human heart there is an empty chamber waiting for a
guest. That guest is God.
Christmas awakens our deepest longings, longings which only God can fulfill. We must not allow our fears to prevent us from opening our hearts to the 'great joy' announced to the shepherds by the angel.
