My Christmas Musings

I have not blogged for some 3 weeks now but it's not because I haven't had much to write about. On the contrary, so many things are happening that I'm literally spoilt for choice..... However, I think I shall let those thoughts stay afloat somewhere while I draw upon Christmas celebrated in a Catholic church.

To me, Christmas has evolved over the years at different phases of my life. As a teenager, it was about parties, presents and meeting people. As a young adult, it was about more parties, more presents and meeting more people. Then in the 90s, attending Christmas musicals, Christmas dramas, Singing-Christmas-Trees and hyped up Christmas services became the rage for any believer worth his salt. But sadly, none of these brought Christ into Christmas for me.

This year, I attended my first Christmas Eve Mass as a Catholic. As with all Masses, it was a liturgical celebration and solemn in its own right. There were no techni-colour musical drama, no special effects and no charismatic preacher jumping up and down to make his point. In other words, no frills.

But the church was packed to the gills with nary a standing room. People came 2 hours early to await the celebration of our Lord's birth. Why would people wait up to 2 hours for an hour's Mass without fanfare? What is it about the Catholic celebration that draws parishioners even without the aplomb?

Day of Obligation aside, I believe it's because Christ is revered as the centre of the Mass. He is the focus of our celebration; not the choir, not the drama, not the songs, not the church decorations and not even the preacher.

The homily of this particular Christmas Eve Mass strikes a chord with me. It talks about how Jesus is born 5 times during the Mass. Firstly in the placing of the symbolic baby in the crib, secondly in the exaltation of the songs, thirdly in the gospel reading, fourthly in the transubstantiation of the bread and wine, finally and most importantly, in our partaking of the Eucharist. Taking the bread which has become the body of Christ is truly God's grace for us to live in communion with Him and our neighbour. We thus bring Jesus away to our home, our workplace and into our relationship with the world.

I would not call myself 'godly' by any standards. No, not by a long shot. I still have a very long way on this straight and narrow path. I have fallen many times. I have given in to temptations at the drop of a hat. I have hurt others either wittingly or unwittingly. I have failed myself and God all too often.

But I am comforted that I can take Jesus away with me through this Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. It is a grace bestowed upon us freely and abundantly........one which we do not deserve but receive only because of love.

And that, to me, is the reason of Christmas.