The True Meaning of Christmas

By: Auther
Hello, I am writing this blog because I feel that the majority of people do not realize the true meaning of Christmas, especially in the secular world we live in. If you asked random people off the street what the true meaning of Christmas is, they probably could not tell you. The true meaning of Christmas, and the thing that everyone should be celebrating, is the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ in a little town called Bethlehem. And I am sure you have heard that one before, but have you ever put any real thought into the significance of this past the basics? Before Jesus came and was born, we had nothing that could rid us of sin. But when he was born, He gave hope to humanity and instituted the sacrament of reconciliation when He said, “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them: and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained” John 20:23. Have you ever thought of how humbling it must have been for Jesus, the Son of God, to become a man in the form of a tiny, helpless, defenseless baby who had to rely on others for survival and help? Jesus became a man knowing that one day, the people He loved and was trying to save, would betray Him and kill Him in the most painful way possible. Now, how many Christmas movies do you watch that even talk about Jesus being born or the true meaning of Christmas? I know the number is very few for me. Every year we watch Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Home Alone, and A Christmas Carol just to name a few. But the thing is, none of those movies have anything to do with Christmas.

I feel like there are so many people who think Christmas is about presents or Santa or getting to see friends and family and all these things are nice and I enjoy them, but none of them have to do with the true meaning of Christmas. I feel like we will never be able to comprehend the significance of Jesus coming and becoming a man. He humbled himself just to free us from sin. If Jesus had never come, we would never have had any of the sacraments. We would never have had Catholic priests. We never would have been freed from original sin. We never would have been able to receive a special blessing when we are dying and getting ready to meet our Creator. We never would have been able to have our sins forgiven through confession. We never could have become soldiers of Christ. And most importantly, we never would have been able to receive Christ's Body and Blood in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. These are just a few things that we never would have had if Jesus had not come to save us by being born. The Catholic Church would not even exist if Jesus had not been born. People may say that Easter is the most important day because it is the day that Jesus rose from the dead and saved the human race, but just think, if He had never been born, He never would have risen from the dead. I have a question for you: how many people wake up Christmas morning and go to Mass and think about the true meaning of Christmas, but then when they get home, they do not think about it again for the rest of the Christmas season? Because. I have to admit, until actually putting thought behind it, I used to do just that. But it is not just on Christmas and after Christmas that you should be thinking about this and meditating on this, you should be thinking about it now during Advent. Advent is the time of year preparing us for the coming of Christ.

Here is an Advent prayer for peace.
Lord, in a season when every heart should be happy and light, many of us are struggling with the heaviness of life—burdens that steal the joy right out of our stockings. Tragedy arrives as innocent victims suffer, and an inner voice whispers, “Be afraid!” We need Your peace, Jesus. We confess that our hearts are too often filled with wonder of a different kind: wondering when the bills will be paid, when the terror will stop, when rest will come. Will it ever? Is the message still true? In a world where worry, not peace, prevails, stir up that good news again. This Advent, make it real in our hearts. Never have we needed Your joy and peace more than now. Thank You for the gift of Jesus, our Emmanuel, the Word made flesh. We not only need Your peace and joy; Lord, we crave it. You have promised rest for the weary, victory for the battle-scarred, peace for the anxious, and acceptance for the brokenhearted—not just at Advent, but every day of every year. Your name is still called “Wonderful,” “Counselor,” “The Mighty God,” “The Everlasting Father,” and “The Prince of Peace.” We know that peace on earth can only come when hearts find peace with You. You are still our Joy. You are still our Peace. You are no longer a babe in the manger. You are Lord of lords and King of kings. And we still celebrate You as Lord—this Christmas and always. To find more Advent prayers to help you get ready for Christmas this season go to:

https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/7-powerful-advent-prayers-devotions-of-peace-and-joy.html
Thank you all for reading this, it has been a joy to write and I hope you all have a good Advent and a Merry Christmas!