Dear brothers and sisters in Christ. I choose as a subject on which to base my short reflection: “Christmas and Evangelization.” I shall begin by asking these questions: Who says that Christmas is only about festivities, as the secular world would like to have us believe? Who says that Christmas is merely for children, as articulated by our contemporary cultures?
This year, beginning on November 11, 2012 and ending on November 24, 2013, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, designated as the Year of Faith, calling all the Clergy and faithful to engage with the wonderful truth of the Catholic Church and recognizing the need for all to rekindle the desire for the Word of God. The just concluded Synod of Bishop held in Rome this last October was based on the theme: “The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith.” The implementation of our own Diocesan Pastoral Plan for this coming year focuses on the theme: “Ignorance of the Scriptures is Ignorance of Christ;” a saying from the fourth century Biblical scholar, St. Jerome of Bethlehem. All these thrusts are geared towards a deeper grasp of the word as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, and the challenge they pose for deeper faith through the work of evangelization.
It is well to realize that, as a primarily religious event, Christmas is the most evangelizing moment in the history of humanity. It represents the moment, par excellence, when heaven was joined to earth, so to speak, in the person of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Christmas speaks of the absolute divine invitation for humanity to embrace salvation as a real possibility. All the events of human history prior to the birth of the Christ-child were only faint shadows in comparison to what was to be realized at Christmas. In fact, Christmas should be viewed by all believers as the first moment in the salvation process that would be accomplished at Calvary, on the Cross. The two moments form one single saving event, for they inseparably give the total salvific purpose of the Saviour’s earthly mission. What else could the song artist mean when he says that “man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day?” Christmas evangelizes the world into salvation. Essentially, it is that which gives purpose and substance to the human destiny.
However, it remains a reality that is to take shape in our every-day life. Therein lies the great opportunity for Christians today to recapture the essence of the celebration with a renewed understanding of Christ’s incarnation in the human condition; that is, his immersion into man’s mortal nature to transform it into his divinity.
Seen from this viewpoint, therefore, Christmas becomes the object of evangelization. In other words, everything about the celebration is meant to lead us to Christ. Our reflection on the biblical stories that surround Christ’s Nativity can help us appreciate the evangelizing significance of this season.
The call to constant rebirth in Jesus, the realization of the helplessness of the little child who will grow in grace and stature, the unfathomable joy that surrounds the birth of the Christ-child, are but a few of the teaching moments in the early life of Jesus.
We can speak further of the positive ways in which our religious culture has evolved around the season. The selfless giving that are so evident among our home folks are products of loving and caring hearts. The family exchanges, community reunions, cannot but promote the sentiments that bring about a Christ-like feeling among people. People travel for hundreds, and even thousands of miles just to capture this moment in the midst of family and friends. They would pay any amount to cherish this opportunity to savor the sweetness of the family and community traditions that remind them of the tremendous need for connectedness.
It is for this reason that Christmas always serves as a good time to say thanks to all the persons who make such a difference in our lives and the lives of others, especially the little ones; the poor and deprived, the needy and separated. Those who go the extra mile to make the reality of Christ’s birth a source of newness to the human community, whether they are from the Government or private sector, the Church or charity, law enforcement personnel, educators, health workers, farmers and even those with the most menial of means. The truth, dear friends, is that, Christmas is meant for the evangelization of all God’s people. May Christ, who came to bring lasting peace and everlasting joy to the world, find a home in every heart this Christmas!
A blessed Christmas to all and a Happy New Year to you and your family. Amen!
Like many others I watched and listened to the Pope’s trtaditional christmas message from the Vatican in Rome. This is the church I grew up in but the exhibition of its pomp and “secular” wealth leaves me with increasing unease. Here is an institution that is also an independent state, totally undmocratic in its election processes. In fact we are tought that its Head is infallible and to whom we should submit in blind obedience as an article of faith. The bishop’s repeated emphasis on re-evangalisation is like a desperate cry to try and recover the faithful this church has lost. The assertion that:”all the events of human history prior to the birth of the Christ child were only faint shadows” is akin to a dismissal of the Old Testament. God has existed for ever and coninues to be in the very same glory and benevolence as before the birth of Christ. That He sent us his Son is a magnificent gift but to almost deny any significant existence of mankind before then is an arrogance that one would not expect from an educated man like the bishop. If there is an outcry for evangelisation (leading to a re-birth I presume) we may as well join the Baptists or any of the other new-fangled evangelical churches, all followers of the same God and Jesus Christ but seemingly offering more relevance to their subscribers. I love my church but it also irritates me tremendously and I pray and hope that we find a a way back to humility and simplicity, of taking active part in the community at all levels and to concentrate on the real message of our Saviour, which is one of “SOCIAL JUSTICE” and inclusion without prejudice.
The late Pope John Paul on his visit to Haiti a few years ago said words to the effect that the principal marks of the new evangelist would be “new ardour.” It seems that zeal has arrived in the Nature Island. Or has it? Reading the Christmas messages of the President, PM and Opposition Leader, it looks like they have all become Evangelists. The Monsignor also talks about evangelizing; seems like he has his work cut out for him. Let’s see all the evangelists talk the talk and walk the walk for a real God-fearing Holy Ghost revival. Amen.
erh excuse me! excuse me! Are there any Christians left in this country?
“…the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI…” Bishop Gabriel Malzaire, this is a blasphemous statement.
Rewind and come again. We will not be fooled with this!
I hope you have no problem when other religions get to evangelize on their own holidays, then. After all, you wouldn’t want to be a hypocrite, would you?
Happy Christmas….yes Jesus is the reason for christmas…a time for giving and sharing…
And who said the church should only be for saving souls? what about taking a stance against corruption.
EXACTLY!
tackling corruption IS saving souls
these church people run and hide when it come to the big issues, then they want to come and tell me about sin.
more action less talk to the religious leaders of this country
“Ignorance of the Scriptures is Ignorance of Christ;” –News Article
This is the “truest” line that I found in this message; the rest of it is in and out of the “Truth” as far as Evangelism is concerned.
In the first place the Word of God did not give us a date for Jesus’ birth and to say that “Christmas is an evangelizing moment”, that is an overstatement. “Man will live forever more because of Christmas Day”?
Where did the Word of God say such a thing? And if leaders of the Church have accepted the mere words of song, to justify Life in Jesus Christ, how are they teaching the congregation to know the Scriptures?
We know that Christmas time has always been plagued with worldly commercial activities; people who are not Christians simply recognize the season as a time off from work and to enjoy the pleasures of the world.
Who is thinking “evangelism” at this time? Not even most of us, who claim to be Christians, and should be living our lives as the disciples of Jesus Christ—we, having received the message of Life through the Gospels to pass it on to the four corners of the world—for that is what
“Evangelism” is all about.
Jesus said: “The Gospel must first be preached to all and Nations” and then the end will come. Mark 13: 10
The present flaw is because the Church has ignored tot Word of God from the beginning, when we started to embrace religious teachings and or doctrines, such as Jesus was born on December 25, for example. Every day should be recognized as a day for “Evangelism” not just a certain day, week, or month of the year.
We are all claiming to be Christians but we do not know who Jesus is–as it is said in that line above–unless we are anointed by the Power of Holy Spirit. For that reason, the prophet Isaiah wrote by the command of God Almighty—Eternal Spirit of Love, Holiness, and Truth:
“These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men”. Isaiah 29:13 Jesus repeated that same message to His disciples in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 7: 6-7
So unless the Churches are prepared to leave religion out of the menu, and to start teaching the congregation to enter a personal or intimate Love relationship with God through faith—for that is what Christianity is about– there is not going to be any form of evangelism taking place, because without Holy Spirit, we do not have the mind which can receive the Truth of God and His Love—Life in us.
Jesus said: “It is the Spirit who gives Life, the flesh prophets nothing! The Words which I speak to you are Spirit and they are Life”. John 6: 63 Human wisdom and philosophy cannot do it for us—but that is what religion is about. Man must be “born again” that he might enter the Life of Spirit and Truth in Jesus Christ.
AS USUAL, THIS IS ABOVE THE HEADS OF MOST OF US PLEBIANS MR. BISHOP.
IN THIS SOUND BITE WORLD WE NEED: SHORT, SUCCINCT, RELEVANT, RELEVANT, RELEVANT, AND TO THE POINT.
Amen. Very interesting piece. Thanks for the reminder of what Christmas truly means and represents. Blessed Christmas to all.
Merry ChristMas to you readers of this article, DNO, and every one else. Put this in your heart and mind. That we are celebrating the giving of God’s Greatest give to Mankind (his own creation), His Self, for Our Salvation. Such condescending love, Glorious mystery, Joyful occasion. God Entering the World as a Babe. The Christ-Child, that was foretold by so many Prophets and fulfilled on that Special day.
Thank you Oh Father Son and Holy Ghost.
And thank you oh Blessed Virgin for your FIAT….be it done unto me according to Your Word.
Thank you Jesus, and again Merry Christmas Blessings to ALL.
Amen