Dear beloved in Christ
In this holy night, the God-Man is born, choosing to come into the world from the womb
of a mother, like every other human being. Jesus is the first and only son brought into
the world by Mary. The son of a human mother Mary, at the same time, this Son has
been given by the Heavenly Father as the greatest gift for humankind. The Son who
is one being with the Father, he whom we confess in the Creed “God from God, Light
from light”, becomes man. Through his birth, the way of salvation passes through us.
The eternal Father gives us his own Son, which made manifest that night in
Bethlehem. Bethlehem means ‘house of bread. Jesus, the bread of life begins his
infant life in a feed trough, or breadbox. The angel announced: “To you is
born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11)
This is the revelation of God’s steadfast love for us: Pope St. Leo the Great says, “He
gave us His own Son as the price of our redemption, the holy one to redeem the
wicked, the sinless one to redeem the sinners; the just one to redeem the
unjust; the incorruptible one to redeem the corruptible and the immortal one to redeem
the mortals. In Him we have received everything. The Eternal Father could not have
given us more”.
In presenting the profound meaning of Christmas, Pope Leo the Great again issued an
invitation to the Christian faithful with these words: "Let us be glad in the Lord, dearly-
beloved, and rejoice with purest joy that there has dawned for us the day of ever-new
redemption, of ancient preparation, of eternal bliss. For as the year rolls round, there
recurs for us the commemoration of our salvation, which promised from the beginning
and accomplished in the fullness of time, will endure for ever".
"Today the Maker of the world was born of a Virgin's womb, and He, who made all
natures, became the Son of her, whom He created. Today the Word of God appeared
clothed in flesh, and that which had never been visible to human eyes began to be
tangible to our hands as well. The fountain of salvation which God desires to offer
each human being has now been opened. The Son of God became like us: true God
and true Man. On this night the frontiers of human existence are extended. The Son of
God, taking upon himself man’s limitations, opens before our eyes the prospect of
God’s infinity. “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to those on whom his
favor rests!”
O marvellous exchange! Man’s Creator has become man, born of the Virgin. We have
been made sharers in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share our
humanity. The greatest Christmas gift ever given to humanity is Jesus Christ our
Saviour. May God's blessing be upon you and your family on this blessed Christmas
and the New Year 2023 to come!
Sincerely
Fr. Phinh Do
