What is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, noche buena with family and friends, stockings hanging in the living room, and cheers of “Merry Christmas” to the passersby in the streets?
For some people, Christmas is a time of disappointment. They don’t have the money to spend for presents for their loved ones. Many are saddened when they think of the people who cannot go home for the season to be with them. And for some, Noche Buena may only be a mere wish.
Yet, Christmas can be a season of great joy, too. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of God’s only Son and the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. His birth brought great joy and hope to the world. He was no ordinary child.
Why did Jesus come? Why did God have to send His only begotten Son for us?
The Bible says that all have sinned. We are all born with a sinful nature. We do things that do not please God. Through the sins of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited that nature. We need to have that removed, and it’s because of God’s unfailing love to people that He provided a way to have our relationship restored with Him.
The only way is through Jesus. We cannot do righteous acts on our own, that’s why we need a Savior who can deliver us from our sinfulness. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, we can ask Him to come into our hearts and forgive us. Then, we are clean and made whole. We can know that heaven is a place where we can go to when this life is over.
So with all these being said, if Jesus truly is within us, then we should also follow His perfect example of giving love to the people. There are those who wish to have a happy holiday but can’t have it because they are less fortunate. If we have been given enough blessings, it is our time to share these to bring joy and bless them. Then, those people will feel the happiness and love that they have been longing for. They will see that Jesus lives in us and that His light reflects throughout the season.
