God's Eternal Son became man for our salvation
Every year we celebrate Christmas. Then we remember and live the memorial of the birth of Jesus. It is a very joyful holiday. Not only children are happy, but also adults.
Is the reason for this extraordinary joy only remembering it?, that the Lord Jesus was once born ? Or maybe something more is happening on this ceremony.
God's Son has existed for ages
Consider the mystery of Christmas. Reading the Gospel from the third Mass will help us in this. this celebration :
“In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Everything happened because of him,
and without him nothing happened,
what happened.
There was life in him,
and life was the light of men,
and the light shines in the dark
and the darkness did not overwhelm her " (J 1, 1-5).
John, the evangelist, calls the Son of God "the Word". The word has existed as long as God. The Son of God was alive, before the earth and everything was made, what is made. Admittedly you heard, that we ascribe the creation of the world to God the Father, but you have to remember, that it is the work of the entire Trinity, and therefore also the eternal Son of God. God's Son is fully alive. He gives all life to everyone. He is also light, which dispels the darkness and leads people to God. By faith we come to know God's eternal Son and meet Him. At Christmas, we honor the eternal Son of God. We can express our faith in the words of Paul VI :
“So we believe - in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.
He is the Eternal Word…”
(Paul VI's Creed).
The Word became Flesh
When "the fullness of time" has come, God has drawn closer to people in the person of his Son. God's Eternal Son became man. The same Gospel according to St.. Jana :
,,And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us " (J 1, 14). God's Eternal Son became a man in time. He has two natures, divine and human. We are talking about Him : God-Man. After incarnation, he still remains God, but at the same time he is a real human being. The Gospels tell us about Jesus' humanity 1 i 2 Holy Mass. Christmas. From the birth of the Son of God, people, like the shepherds, they could see Him, hear His words, touch Him. He became like men in all things except sin. He had a Mother like every human being. It is the Blessed Virgin Mary. He grew like all of us. He was eating, worked, enjoyed, he tired and rested.
To, that Jesus is both God and Man, remains a mystery of faith for us. We confess our faith in this mystery in the solemn Eucharistic Assembly with words :
“I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, The Son of God… He is for us people and for our salvation he descended from heaven. And by the power of the Holy Spirit he took flesh of the Virgin Mary and became a man ".
As a sign of our reverence and respect, we bow deeply to these words, and on the day of the Annunciation (25. III) and Christmas (25. XII) we kneel.
The only Mediator between God and men
In the Gospel according to St.. John also reads about the purpose of this great mystery of the incarnation of the eternal Son of God.
"There was real light, which enlightens everyone, when he comes into the world.
It was in the world (Word), and the world was made through him, but the world did not know him.
Came to your property, and his own did not receive him.
All this, however, who accepted him, gave power, that they may become children of God "
(J 1, 9-12).
Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, he brings us from God a teaching about the Father, which, as a light, shows the way to him. He gives us the Father's love. Everyone, who receive Him, gives life to God. He makes them sons of God. It can do so, because he is God.
However, he is a real human being. He is one of us. From the very first moment of his earthly life, he shows God love and obedience on behalf of all people.
St.. Paul calls Him the only Mediator between God and people : "There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself up as a ransom for all " (1 Tm 2, 5-6).
How will I answer God ?
During Christmas, we not only remember the birth of Jesus Christ, but in the Eucharistic Assembly we meet our Mediator.
For through baptism you are united to Jesus Christ. Because of him, with Him and in Him you worship and adore God, and God gives you eternal life through him. Thus, a mysterious exchange takes place between God and man, which is mentioned in the prayer over the gifts on the feast of Christmas. Pray with her words :
"Receive, Lord, the offering made today, that, by your grace, through this mysterious exchange, we might share in the divinity of Jesus Christ, in which our human nature fused with you ".
Also think about it, how will you spend your Christmas holidays, remembering, what you receive from the incarnate Son of God.
How will you attend Holy Mass. at Christmas time ?
■ Think :
1. Which means, that the Son of God is eternal ? Who tells us about it ?
2. In what words does St.. John the Evangelist, the mystery of the Incarnation ?
3. Why does John the Evangelist call Jesus the light of men ?
4. Which proves this, that Jesus is a real man ?
5. When we live the mystery of the incarnation ?
■ Remember:
21. Who is Jesus, Son of Mary ?
Jesus, The Son of Mary is the eternal Son of God, who in time became man for our salvation.
22. Thus, the Son of God became our Mediator ?
God's Son became our Mediator through this, that he assumed human nature, that is, by incarnation.
23. Why is Jesus Christ Called the Mediator ?
This is why we call Jesus Christ the Mediator, that thanks to him there is a mysterious exchange of life and love between God and people.
■ Task :
1. Search for a sentence in one of the carols, which speak of Jesus the God-Man.
2. Read the Masses. Christmas and highlight the texts, which speak of the eternal existence of the Son of God.
3. Compare praying over Christmas gifts to prayer, which the priest says, when he adds water to the cup of wine while preparing the offerings.