3M Reflection - Christmas Day - God With Us

Christmas Day - God Is With Us

I wish you all a very wonderful Christmas with friends, family, and Jesus. May we see Christ in us, in those around us, and in all of Creation.

0:00 Begin.
3:29 Hymn

Prayer Service:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/b0u6ji...

A reflection on Christmas.

Christmas is far more than a celebration of sentiment, tradition, or seasonal warmth. At its heart lies a profound mystery: God chooses to enter human history, not in power or splendour, but in humility and vulnerability. Christmas proclaims that the eternal Word becomes flesh, dwelling among us, sharing fully in the human condition. This truth shapes every authentic celebration of the feast.

The first element is Incarnation. In the child of Bethlehem, God is not distant or abstract but close, tangible, and personal. The manger reveals a God who embraces poverty, fragility, and dependence. For Christians, this is not simply a memory of a past event but a living reality. Christ is born again wherever hearts are opened to receive Him, wherever love takes flesh in acts of mercy, forgiveness, and service.

Closely linked is joy, though it is a deep and resilient joy rather than shallow cheerfulness. The angels’ song of peace is sung into a world still marked by darkness. Christian joy acknowledges suffering and uncertainty yet dares to proclaim hope. Christmas assures us that God does not wait for the world to be perfect before entering it; He enters precisely because it is broken and in need of healing.

Another essential element is family and community. The Holy Family reflects both the beauty and vulnerability of human relationships. Mary and Joseph’s trust, courage, and obedience remind us that holiness often unfolds quietly within ordinary life. Christmas draws families together, not only around tables but around prayer, forgiveness, and shared faith. It also stretches beyond the household, urging hospitality toward the lonely, the poor, and the forgotten.

Thanksgiving prayer stands at the centre of Christmas. The God who lies in a manger becomes the God who gives Himself for the world. The humility of Bethlehem continues on in thanksgiving prayer where Christ remains with His people. Community prayers of joy and gratitude are at the heart of the Christmas celebration.

Finally, Christmas is a call to mission. The shepherds do not remain at the manger; they go out to proclaim what they have seen. Christmas sends believers into the world as bearers of Christ’s light. Having received Emmanuel—God with us—we are invited to become signs of His presence for others.

In this way, Christmas is not confined to a day or season. It is an enduring invitation to live the mystery of God-with-us, here and now.

Let us pray.
Loving God, on this holy day we praise you for the wonder of the Incarnation.
In the child of Bethlehem you draw near to our world,
embracing our weakness and filling our darkness with light.
Teach us to welcome Christ with open hearts,
to find true joy not in passing comforts
but in your faithful love made flesh.
Bless our families and communities with peace,
console the lonely and the sorrowful,
and stir us to serve the poor with compassion.
As we receive Emmanuel, God-with-us,
send us forth as bearers of hope, mercy, and joy,
today and always.
Amen.


Hymn: God-With-Us, Born This Holy Night

Verse 1
O come, behold the humble Child,
Laid low where beasts draw near;
The Word made flesh, the Lord of all,
Now comes in love and fear.
No throne of gold, no royal crown,
No palace bright with flame—
Yet heaven bows to greet the One
Who bears Emmanuel’s name.

Refrain
O sing, O sing, Emmanuel,
Our hope, our light, our peace;
God born as man in Bethlehem,
Let heaven’s wonder increase.

Verse 2
The angels’ song breaks through the dark:
“Glory to God on high!”
Their joy is sown in wounded earth
Where pain and longing lie.
For God draws near to broken hearts
And shares our mortal frame;
In joy and grief, in night and dawn,
He bears Emmanuel’s name.

Refrain
O sing, O sing, Emmanuel,
Our hope, our light, our peace;
God born as man in Bethlehem,
Let heaven’s wonder increase.

Verse 3
In Mary’s yes and Joseph’s trust
We glimpse obedient love;
The Holy Child within their care
Fulfilment from above.
So gather us, O Christ made flesh,
One family in Your grace;
Teach us to find Your dwelling still
In every human face.

Refrain
O sing, O sing, Emmanuel,
Our hope, our light, our peace;
God born as man in Bethlehem,
Let heaven’s wonder increase.

Verse 4
O Bread of Life from manger born,
Still given from the throne,
You feed the world with living hope
And claim us as Your own.
Now send us forth, as shepherds once,
Your mercy to proclaim,
Until the earth resounds with praise
For blessed Emmanuel.

Final Refrain
O sing, O sing, Emmanuel,
Our hope, our light, our peace;
God born as man in Bethlehem,
Let love and justice increase.