“This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church“ (Ephesians 5:32).
God has revealed Himself through the human nature of Jesus Christ. A beautiful visual of this mystery is celebrated in the infant Jesus during the Christmas season. Jesus makes visible what is invisible about God, and this is where the real beauty and mystery of life begins.
In Colossians 2:2-3 St. Paul writes, “that their hearts may be encouraged as they are brought together in love, to have all the richness of fully assured understanding, for the knowledge of the mystery of God, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
The secret to living a good and holy life can be witnessed in watching little children. Not just at Christmastime, when they are asked if they were naughty or nice, but every day. When you watch children interact with one another; you see genuine feelings, unconditional love and the real art of compromise.
We planned a family gathering for the Christmas season and spent three days hanging out in the woods of Morgantown, Indiana. A fireplace burning, comfy clothes and good food were the orders of the day. We enjoyed visiting our eight grandchildren; the oldest is 10 years old. Also in attendance was one aging golden retriever; to say there was a lot going on in the house is putting it mildly. A CYO basketball game at the church gymnasium, walks in the woods and Sunday morning Mass were the only reasons we left the house. I took pictures of all the activities, and the time went by quickly.
As the last car pulled away to go home, I realized we had forgotten to take our family photo by the Christmas tree. It was suggested several times; but we were busy having fun, and the photo was never taken. Those who know me understand documenting life through photos is one of my favorite things to do. I walked back into the house feeling a little sad about the missed group picture, and the quiet house was equally disappointing! We finished tidying up, and I sat down to look at the photos taken over the weekend. I found treasures! The chaos and frivolity captured some very precious memories. There were aunts and uncles, sisters and brothers, moms and dads, cousins and grandparents; and each interaction photographed was a Christmas gift.
Among my digital images, I found: a group of rowdy kids and adults cheering for a 10-year-old at his basketball game; a one-year-old napping on the shoulder of his cousin at the game; a seven-year-old reading Christmas stories to the three- and four-year-olds by the Christmas tree; a nine-year-old challenging his artistic uncle to a drawing contest; many hands helping toddlers play Bingo; children of all ages making Christmas ornaments on a Cricut machine; and in each spontaneous picture, there were visible signs of love. I quickly forgot about the missed group photo by the tree. I began to focus on the richness we experienced in our love for one another – and our participation in the mysteries of God in our lives.
Our weekend ended with the greatest mystery of all – the celebration of Holy Mass. It was Gaudete Sunday, and joy was truly present. As the birth of Jesus and the Holy Family bring new life into the world, enjoy the gift of your family – God’s plan for achieving holiness. Today, there are no secrets about the life of Christ. We have 2,000 years of recorded history to guide us. Participate in His mission and the sacraments He instituted to strengthen us with grace. Christ and His Church are gifts to the world! He is the Prince of Peace on earth! Merry Christmas everyone! Amen!