A mystery is something that God does in time to introduce humanity into the divine. Christmas is the mystery of why God loves us so much and wants to share His Life with us. The Church proclaims mysteries and tries to explain them, as much as She can even though mystery is unexplainable.

In our proclamation of this mystery we become like the angels, or a voice crying out in the desert like the prophets. This is a day cloaked in mystery as we announce the birth of Jesus, our Savior.

He enters the world, which He created in order to reclaim the souls who have forgotten Him or who have betrayed Him. As disciples of Jesus, what we announce is not merely an old past event, which happened long ago, but a new birth, which happens today. For the Bethlehem we celebrate is not there in ceramic images, but here in our hearts. The manager on which He wishes to rest is made pure in confession and worthy in prayer.

When we visit the Crib we will see ourselves, with the oxen of our burdens, the mule of our pride, the sheep of our doubt and the kings of our longing. What makes Christmas a mystery is that God sees His reflection in us; and He loves us still.

So look into the manger and find yourself there or rather let yourself be found by the God Who loves beyond all imagining. It is a mystery that I know is true and His love will abide in you forever, if you let Him. I know that God makes all things new in His divine Son, and He can do the same for you if you make a dwelling place for you in your heart.

Let us then, in the words of the Apostle Paul in the Mass at Night, ‘deny ungodliness and worldly desires and live in the light, justly and divinely in the world, looking in each eye and touching each heart for the blessed hope and coming of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.’