🎄 HOMILY - CHRISTMAS MORNING 🎄

First Reading - Isaiah 57:7-10

Second Reading - Hebrew 1:1-6

Gospel - John 1:1-5,9

Once, a Rabbi asked his disciples, “How do you know when the darkness has been overcome, when the dawn has arrived?” One disciple answered, “When you can distinguish a cow from a deer in the distance.” The Rabbi replied, “Close, but not quite.” Another said, “When you can tell a peach blossom from an apple blossom.” The Rabbi smiled, “Not bad, but the true answer is this: when you look into the face of any man or woman and see a child of God and your brother or sister, then you know the darkness has been overcome, and the dawn has arrived.”  

This Christmas morning, we celebrate the victory of Light over darkness. In the Gospel of John, Jesus is introduced as the true Light, descending from Heaven to bring clarity and vision to a world shrouded in darkness.

While Matthew traces Jesus’ genealogy to Abraham and Luke to Adam, John takes us beyond time, revealing that Jesus, the Word, was with God from the very beginning. John’s Gospel moves from the history of Christmas to its mystery, lifting our understanding to see Jesus as the Word—the very self-expression of God. The Incarnation was not an afterthought; it was part of God’s divine plan from the creation of the world.

The first reading offers the assurance of restoration, drawing a parallel between God’s faithfulness in bringing His people back from exile and the salvation brought by Jesus. St. Paul, in the second reading, emphasizes that God’s ultimate revelation comes not just through prophets but through His own Son, who reveals the very nature of God by His life, death, and Resurrection.

John’s Gospel, rich in theology and philosophy, declares Jesus as the Word made flesh. In Jewish thought, the “Word of God” symbolized God’s active presence in creation, revelation, and redemption. For the Greeks, the “logos” was the rational principle governing the universe. John bridges these ideas, presenting Jesus as the eternal Word who became human to dwell among us. This dwelling, described as God “pitching His tent,” signifies His closeness to us—living in our midst, sharing our joys and struggles, and nourishing us through the Eucharist.

The light of Christ, symbolized by His birth, dispels the darkness of sin and evil. Jesus declared, “I am the Light of the world,” and challenges us, His followers, to be the light of the world. By recognizing Jesus in the Eucharist, in Scripture, and in each other, we can continue to spread this light.

Dear friends, as we celebrate Christ’s first coming, we are reminded of His second coming and His daily presence among us. We are called to prepare the way for Him, allowing His love to be born anew in our hearts. This means making room for Him—not just in a symbolic manger but in the reality of our lives. There is no space in the manger for the baggage of pride, prejudice, bitterness, or sin. Only when we strip ourselves of these can we truly embrace the vulnerability and grace that Christmas offers.

Let us open our hearts to Christ’s presence and commit to building His kingdom of love, justice, and peace in our world. As we encounter others, may we always see in them the face of God’s child, our brother or sister, knowing that in doing so, the darkness has truly been overcome, and the Light has dawned.