Homily for Christmas Day

The days of Advent are over. For 4 weeks, we waited in joyful anticipation for the celebration of Our Lord’s birth. Now, we join together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, who frees us from the darkness of sin and brings us the joy promised by God the Father.

We come together in this beautifully lit and decorated church with all the Christmas lights and candles to remember the light of Christ shining throughout the world. John the Baptist “came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.” This is the light that “shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it,” in the words of St. John’s Gospel. This is the light that we recall at the Easter Vigil, and is symbolized by the Easter candle shining in the darkened church.

This light did not come into the world with a grand show, but rather under humble, simple means. This King of Kings and Lord of Lords came into the world as a child born to humble parents, not great rulers. His coming was announced to shepherds in a field, not to noblemen and women in mighty palaces. For the great majority of people alive at the time of Our Lord’s birth, it went completely unnoticed.

Yet, His coming was truly a glorious event worthy of great rejoicing. We remember the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ because He came into the world to free us from the darkness of sin. Just as lighting a single candle can break the darkness of night, the coming of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, breaks the darkness of sin in our lives. When we look at the beautiful Christmas lights that we use to decorate as we celebrate this special and blessed season, we should always remember that Jesus, the Light of the World, shines through the darkness of sin in our lives the way those lights shine through the darkness of night.

The Advent season is over, and today we begin the celebration of the Christmas season. Note that we are just now beginning the Christmas season, not ending it. May we spend this season joyfully praising Jesus Christ, the Light of the World who came into the world to save us, for “all the ends of the earth will behold the salvation of our God.”