6 year old Johny and James were good friends. 
James had joined Johny’s school just this year and so they were pretty new friends. 

>> Yet, they had forged a good relationship with each other.

Johny was to celebrate his birthday the following weekend, and so he told James:

“Hey James, I hope you remember… It’s my birthday the next Sunday.

I want you to come home for my birthday party.”
James was obviously delighted and he said: “Oh sure, I would love to come. But I do not know the way to your house.”
“Oh, not to worry!” replied Johny, ” I will guide you exactly…”
And so saying, Johny continued:

“Right opposite the ice-parlour to which we often go, is a huge building. 

Enter that building and you will see the lift right on the adjacent wall.
Use your elbow to press the lift switch.
When the lift comes down, use your feet to open and close the lift. 

Then, use your elbow to press Number 5 on the lift buttons. 
When the lift reaches floor 5, once again, use your feet to open and close the lift doors.
Finally, you will see House Number 501 with the bell switch on the side.

Use your elbow once again, to press that key… 

…. And lo, I will be there to welcome you for my birthday party!”
James was pretty happy saying, “That’s pretty easy to find your house”

>> But at the same time, he was confused and asked: “But why at all should I use my elbow and my feet? Why can’t I use my hands itself to switch the buttons and open the lift doors?”
To that Johny replied: “Hey come on! Don’t forget James!

You are coming for my Birthday Party, and naturally you will have a big gift in your hand.

So your hands will not be free to do any of those works!!”

Well… Jesus is celebrating His birthday…

… Do we have our hands filled with gifts for the Lord?

>> Or are we empty handed and found gifts for everybody (including ourselves) but forgotten Jesus Himself!

Is Jesus the centre of our Christmas Celebration?
On this Christmas Day, let us have our attention on the Star of the Day: Jesus Christ!

1. Jesus, the Divine Babe is the primary reason for the celebration of this Festival

Many of us have been preparing for the wonderful day of Christmas, for the last few days, particularly.

>> But sometimes, like runners in a race, there can be a possibility to feel tired, or given in to feel exhausted; sometimes even to give up.
Christmas is to become a new beginning in our life; the days of preparation ought to become the launching pad to lead a more holy and zealous life in the Spirit.
Its very much possible, that Jesus – the reason for this season, may get lost in the thickets of celebrations, good food, excited shoppings etc.

>> But the Babe in the Manger, will keep waiting, to be taken home – to one’s heart, to one’s life, to one’s family

2. Jesus, the Divine Babe came primarily as the Saviour of the world

“For today in the city of David, a Saviour has been born for you..” (Lk 2:11) 

>> Jesus came to the world with a very specific mission: to save people from sin and grant eternal life to those who believe in Him (Jn 10:10)
He is the only person Who took birth to die!

>> It was by His death, that He was to achieve the mission of granting life to all.
Therefore, the celebration of Christmas has to be primarily a celebration made in “repentance and renewal”

>> If the heart doesn’t repent, then Christmas can never be celebrated truly

>> If the life is not renewed, then Christmas can never become meaningful
Christmas is the story of a God passionately in love with us, and deeply desiring that we belong to Him, and Him alone! 
3. Jesus, the Divine Babe desires a place in our hearts

Rev 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock”

>> Mother Mary and St Joseph had to lay the newborn Babe in the manger, “because there was no room for them in the inn” (Lk 2: 7b)
Christmas is the story of a God Who comes searching for His beloved creation, and knocking at the door of each heart, for a place to be born.

 
4. Jesus, the Divine Babe, in the manger, is One who identifies with us, in our weakness

God chose (in human terms) probably, one of the “most ridiculous” way of coming into the world – as a tiny infant
He is the Creator of the World; the One Who has all powers subject to Him . Yet, He chose to be totally detached (Phil 2: 6-8) and take the form of a little baby – weak, helpless and vulnerable
Christmas is the story of a God Who became weak like us, so that we can be strong like Him!
5. Jesus, the Divine Babe deserves a wonderful gift on His Birthday

Birthdays become occasions to gift the one who is celebrating.

>> Jesus, the Birthday Baby surely deserves the best gift.
But what can we give Him? 

All what we have and all what we are, comes from God anyways! 
So is there anything, that I can call of my own? 
Yes! Probably the only thing which belongs to me, is my sin! 
This Christmas, beyond all other gifts and preparations, we could gift our “sinful life” to Him.

>> It might feel bad for us to give all that ugly part of our life. But our Blessed Lord invites us to give of our self to Him entirely – broken, weak, dirty, impure, lost- as we are, to Him, so that He can renew us and make us a new person (Rev 21:5 – “Behold, I make all things new”)
As Bishop Fulton J Sheen says:

” You give me your humanity, I will give you my divinity.

You give me your time, I will give you my eternity. 

You give me your slavery, I will give you my freedom. 

You give me your death, I will give you my life.

You give me your nothingness, I will give you my all.”
Let us take some firm and practical resolutions…

>> Today I will seek to have Jesus as the centre of all that I am to celebrate in this Festive Season and give Him the rightful place in my heart

>> Today I will deepen my awareness of Jesus as the Saviour of my life, and make practical decisions to let go sinful ways, and offer my heart as a Gift to Baby Jesus on His Birthday!

Yes, this Christmas, let Christ be the Centre and Meaning of all our celebrations…

… and thus, let us have our hands filled with gifts for the Baby Jesus!
Happy Birthday to Jesus, our Beloved King!

>> Hearty Congratulations to His Wonderful Parents – Mother Mary and St Joseph. 
Wish you all, a Very Merry Christmas!

God Bless! Live Jesus!