Christmas, Mass at Night
December 24, 2021 •
What makes these men and women stand out is that they bore the Christ.
This is a very important message for each one of us, because, in the end, when somebody looks back on your life, will they remember you? Will you have done anything significant in your life to stand out in history? Whatever you can do - write a book, skydive, whatever it is - do you think in ten thousand years anybody is going to care? In ten million years?
You see, human beings are immortal. Not our bodies, but our souls. A human soul will live forever.
And the only hope we have of being remembered is our association with Jesus Christ. Just like these men and women of the Gospel today. That's what makes them stand out.
Now, God is not asking us to be a part of the incarnation of Christ in the same way. But these are Jesus' great-great-grandparents. They're family.
And if we don't belong to Christ's family, then what is our life worth?
That's precisely why the gift of Baptism is so sacred - it makes us a member of the household of God. We become one with Christ. We become a member of His body. And His Bride, the Church, becomes our Mother.
We are the descendants of Jesus Christ. We are His children, born of a spotless Bride. And that's what makes our lives important.
Our relationship with Jesus Christ needs to be the most important thing in our lives. ... We have to keep in mind that throughout the day - not just on Christmas, but each day - as the sun rises in the morning, we should reflect on the rising of Christ, the coming of our Lord, the light in the darkness. We need to keep Him at the focus of our minds and hearts, each day.
Is 62:1-5; Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Mt 1:1-25
Homily begins at 24:40