Christmas Day - Solemnity; Christmas, the Birthday of Jesus Year B. By Tobe Eze

Christmas Day - Solemnity; Christmas, the Birthday of Jesus Year B.

FIRST READING
Isaiah 62:11—12

SECOND READING
Titus 3:4—7

GOSPEL
Luke 2:15—20

THEME: JOY TO YOU.

A child was dancing in front of her mother’s shop when Christmas was fast approaching, when the child was asked the reason for the joy and dance. The child said, the time my mother will make more money has come. Again a pagan was passing before a Catholic church on Christmas day, when he saw the type of vehicles that packed outside the Church compound, he shouted that “the God this people are celebrating must be a big one and went in to the Church and became a Christian from that day. Just that he saw cars. What do you own that will bring people to Christ? His family was so happy that day. Continue Reading............................

What and what gives you joy in Christmas season? Is it because of how you cheat people because of season? Is it how you jump from this girl to another? Is it how you collect money from these abroad guys and give them the thing so hot (your body)? Is it because of the kind of eating and drinking involved in it? We all have different things that give us joy in this season.

What should be giving us joy in this season is what prophet Isaiah is telling in the first reading. Say to daughter Zion, your savior comes! Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. We should rejoice for Jesus! Emmanuel is with us now.

Why did he come to us? The second reading gives us the perfect answer we need. When the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

The shepherds heard and saw the glory of the Lord and went and made it known to all. We have been seeing the glory and we have heard of it, how do we make it know to others?

It is in this Christmas season that we should bring out that Glory of God and make it known to all nations through our behaviours or attitudes. There are many poor around us, it is time to put smile on their faces. There are many unbelievers, it is the time to make them believe in God.

When I was still at home, after my secondary school, Christmas 2012. I was serving at mass almost everyday that time. On Christmas day, after eating and drinking, I saw one beautiful girl and decided to woo her. After talking and talking, she asked me. “Is this what they are teaching you people at the altar? I can see that altar boys is no more altar boys. I will tell my mother to ask my brother to come out of it before you people will mislead or corrupt him for us”. I was ashamed of myself. The whole drink left me immediately. I decided to beg her, telling her that I was under the influence of alcohol and it was devil’s work and every other things I told her but she could not believe me. Initially, I was just doing that for doing sake not that I was serious but the result was not what I bargained for. I was just trying to know if I have learnt to woo women but the result was too bad for me too bear. Sometimes what we do in this season go a long way to determine what type of Christian we are. Instead of eating and drinking to vomit, please give to the one who has nothing. Kama iga eriju afo dachie uzo, buru onu ma diri ndu. This Christmas should be joy to you and not sorrow. It is joy to you, joy to us, joy to them and joy to the world. THANKS AND HAPPY CHRISTMAS.