Aujourd’hui est le 24 décembre…

It's Christmas Eve. Time flies, doesn't it ?

Now, I did mention to a few people that I'll be putting this post up today.
It's for all of us - those who celebrate Christmas, those who don't ; those who are struggling to find the real meaning of Christmas, those who are caught up in commercialism.

If I mention the word "Christmas" to some people, the first thing they'd think of is Santa Claus. Oh, and perhaps all that merrymaking. To be honest, I feel that there's nothing wrong with the merrymaking, but lest we forget what Christmas is all about...

For the true meaning of Christmas is much deeper, and I hope it may hold the same depth for you as it does for me.

A long time ago, in a city called Nazareth...

...there was this teenaged girl, a virgin, called Mary. One day, the angel Gabriel came to her and proclaimed, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you !" Mary was shocked. She wondered, what could this mean ? The angel went on to tell her that she had won God's favour, and that she would give birth to a son, and call him Jesus, and that he will be great, every knee would bow at the mention of His name - for he is the Son of God. So Mary, being a virgin, asked, how is this possible ? The angel Gabriel gave her assurance that with God, everything is possible : her cousin Elizabeth, who was old, was already six months pregnant.

And so Mary said, "I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let what you said be done unto me." The angel left her.

Mary was betrothed to Joseph, a man of the House of David. Now, the time came for Mary to have her child. Mary and Joseph travelled far - to a city called Bethlehem. At that time there was a census going on - it was issued by the Emperor of Rome, and each person had to be registered in his own birthplace. Joseph, being of the House of David, went to Bethlehem.

They found an inn, but they were turned out by the innkeeper, who said there was no room left for them.

Distraught and in pain, where could they go ?

They found a stable - a really lowly place. There were donkeys and sheep, fodder and... foul-smelling food in that stable. Mary and Joseph spent the night there.

That night, Mary gave birth to a son, just as the angel Gabriel told her. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger - a feedbox for all those animals. But the baby, the Son of God, slept soundly in heavenly peace and didn't cry. There was a throng of the heavenly host, singing aloud in praise, "Glory to God in the highest, and peace to all men who enjoy His favour." There were shepherds outside the stable, and when they heard the angelic choirs they came into the stable, saw the child lying in the manger, and paid homage to him.

That same night, there was this huge star in the sky which moved eastward. Three wise men saw that star and pursued it. After a long journey, they saw that the star rested above the stable where the child was born.

The three wise men met Mary and Joseph and the child. They bowed down in adoration and presented the child with three gifts :

gold, because he is a king.
frankincense, because he is God.
myrrh, because he was to die for us.

*pause a moment*






The prophet Isaiah mentioned that the child would be given many names : Wonder-Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Isn't it happening today ?

The Christmas story is this, the Word of God made flesh. The Christmas story is the birth of a child, the birth of a king. The Christmas story is the birth of Christ, God made man.

Writing this post made me enthralled, once again. No doubt, I'm excluding myself from all that merrymaking because we're still grieving over mom's death. But as I type these words, I am reminded of the fact that in Christ, I am made whole. True, I miss mom and I love her, and there's sorrow all around for me. But then, as the book of Acts says, "In Him we live and breathe and exist." I pray for Him to come into my heart this Christmas.

And, when I think of the Christmas story, another thing which comes to mind is the Christmas carol "Little Drummer Boy."

Imagine : a boy, poor in spirit, unable to give the Lord anything except what lies in his heart, willingly gives the Lord his rhythms. And he is in favour with the Lord. The child Jesus smiles at him. I hope to be in the same position someday. My heart pounds away. I can feel it. And sometimes, I try to imitate it, but I can't. No matter what I play, or how I play, I know He hears me as I beat my drums. It'd be an honour... if I can be His drummer girl someday.