Blessed Christmas!

The following is a reflection written for the Christmas 2020 issue of "Caritas In Mission," a quarterly newsletter by Caritas Singapore on the Catholic Church’s social mission.

At the heart of our Christmas celebrations is the Incarnation, God who loves the world so much gives his only son who takes on flesh (cf Jn 3:16). Jesus, the new born babe lying in the manger with his adoring parents on each side is a joyous and peaceful scene recreated in nativity sets found in churches, homes and in some countries also in public venues. It is the first Christmas scene and also the first Holy Family scene. 

Jesus, by becoming human, is born into a family and is blessed with two loving parents, the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. Nurtured by their love and guidance, Jesus grows and spends his formative years with them in Nazareth. It is through their love that he also experiences his heavenly Father’s love. 

Most of us too are born into a family and are brought up by parents or guardians. It is within the family that we also first experience God’s love for us, as reflected by the love of our parents. As a family we can draw inspiration from the example of the Holy Family in living the virtues of faith, hope and love. 

Mary and Joseph’s faith-filled love led them to give priority to do God’s will above everything else which at times involve sacrifice and letting go. This was first brought to the fore when Jesus at 12 years of age, goes “missing” for 3 days. On finding him at the temple, his parents chide him for causing them distress but Jesus replies, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49). 

Mary and Joseph, just as many parents after them, realise through time that they do not own the life of their child but instead are “the first collaborators with God in the transmission of life and the faith” (Pope Benedict XVI). Later, as an adult, Jesus is told that his family is waiting to talk to him but he states, “whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Mt 12:50). 

As followers of Jesus, we seek to carry out the will of God in our lives. In doing so and through our baptism, we become bonded in Christ as a family of faith and everyone becomes a brother and a sister. 

As a family united in Christ we confidently call God “our” Father whose will can be summed up as loving God and one another. We are each called to be “caritas” or Christ’s love and compassion to all we encounter. This is not always an easy feat as it usually entails sacrifice but it is in Christ that we participate in his love and he always provides the necessary graces (cf 2 Cor 12:19). 

As we share in the hopes, problems and sufferings ofthose around us, beginning with our own families, where relationships may at times be in need of healing and reconciliation,we continue the incarnation of God’s love in the world. Christmas then becomes a celebration not only for a day or a season but our way of life. 

In this Christmas issue of Caritas in Mission, we see how three member organisations of Caritas Singapore incarnate God’s love and compassion as they reach out, support and connect families together. May we draw inspiration from these stories of incarnating God’s love today, knowing that each of us too are called to do God’s will to incarnate his love and bring his light and hope to all amidst the darkness of life’s struggles made worse for many during the current pandemic. Each time we do so, Christ is born again, in us. 

A Blessed Christmas to all.