Tonight, we come together to celebrate the gift of the Messiah coming fully into our world. The God we worship is a God who cares and who is involved, a God who listens and talks to us, a God who is there for us in those most difficult of times, a God prepared to take the suffering of humanity on his shoulders, a God prepared to die for us. However, all of this compassion begins tonight as God fully enters our world.

Our Gospel in this night presents Luke's account of the nativity: the call of Mary and Joseph to answer the census, the birth of Jesus and the arrival the shepherds are the basics of the countless nativity plays we have seen over the years-this year being the exception:

Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

(Lk 2: 4-7)

As we enter into this Christmas season properly, we wonder what this Christmas of 2023 will bring us. The gift of incarceration affirms our own humanity and the talents that we share-God given gifts. How often do you think you are not good enough, pretty enough, smart enough or talented enough? How often do you feel worthless? Tonight affirms your basic goodness and worth, no matter what others may say. Tonight, you are invited to ignore the negativity in your life and bask in the gift of life that you have been given, with all the positives that you share.

There is a wonderful Christmas story that I recommend you read with your children-no matter how old they might think they are! It is called 'The Crippled Lamb' by Max Lucado, an American pastor. It is such an easy read and I feel it has a special relevance for this Christmas especially. It is the tale of the lamb Joshua who had a crippled leg; he felt left out because he couldn't run and play like the other lambs and join in their fun and gambolling. God had a very special plan for Joshua's life, as He does for all who feel alone. Joshua could not go with the rest of the sheep when they went away with the shepherds to higher pastures. He had to stay behind in the stable of Bethlehem in the care of the friendly cow, Abigail. If he had been well, he would have been with the others in the pastures, but he was now in a unique position to be the first to welcome Christ into the world, and he was able to use his special gift of his lamb's wool, to warm and comfort the tiny newborn baby This beautiful story will convince you that you have a purpose in God's plan. No matter who you are, your social status, your bank account, or your abilities, God will use you if you let him. God always has special blessings in store for the very people who feel the most overlooked and left behind. Who are overlooked in your family? Who have you left behind during the craziness of this pandemic? What gifts can you bring today and share with those you love?

According to Luke, the first visitors to the stable were shepherds, humble people who take care of the animals who lived around the stable. They heard heavenly music from the angels who came to announce the holy birth of the Christ Child. How different was our birth in time! Most of us were born in hospitals or maybe at home with midwives. When baby Jesus was born on a dark night, he was laid in the manger – a feed trough for donkeys, cattle, and sheep. Poor people from the area followed the angel voices which led them to the manger. It must have been a strange and wondrous sight – shepherd folk visiting the One who one day would call Himself "The Good Shepherd". It is also important to remember that the Little Lord Jesus was greeted by poor shepherds, including little children and even little Joshua.

I want to remind our children that, as the Christmas season continues, other figures will come into the manger. People from distant places bearing gifts for Jesus the newborn King of the Jews. They too were led by signs in the heavens as they came in search of this infant King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As you open your gifts tonight and tomorrow, please open your hearts to those in need. Just pick one person you would like to pray for: remember them and may they always remain dear to you.

Come to the Creche of Bethlehem, even online and ask the Holy Spirit to help you imagine and appreciate the truth and beauty of Christmas – the day when God's Son came to us in the flesh and shared His love, peace, and mercy with us and with the whole world. Even in these very different times, you will still have a wonderful time.

In her beautiful poem 'In the Bleak Midwinter', Christina Rossetti reminds us of the most essential gift that each of us can give the world tonight. What a gift it is! If we took this gift seriously then the world would be a better place. If we took this gift seriously then this time of global stress will be so much easier to endure:

What can I give him,

Poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd

I would bring a lamb,

If I were a wise man

I would do my part,

Yet what I can I give Him —

Give my heart.

A very happy and blessed Christmas to you all from all of us here at Don Bosco Publications. Have a safe and happy time-May the gift of the Christ-child be yours tonight and always.

Author: Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB

Photo by Walter Chávez on Unsplash