The Face of God

“In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration and taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.  All went to their own towns to be registered.  Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David.  He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:1-7)

Each year, these words begin our celebration of the Christmas season.  At the beginning of Holy Mass in many of our parishes, the clergy go to the manger and place the image of the Christ child there in the midst of Mary and Joseph, as well as the shepherds and later the kings.  This day’s solemnity speaks to us all so strongly.  Theologians have spoken very eloquently concerning the significance of this event of the Incarnation and Nativity of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, but their words pale in comparison to kneeling before the manger and contemplating within our hearts, that on Christmas day, our Lord and Savior was born as a small child in Bethlehem.  As we look at the statue of the small Christ child, our hearts are filled with the realization that the Almighty God and King of the Universe was born as a small infant in a humble manger in the small little-known village of Bethlehem.  We realize the special blessings that Mary, Joseph and the shepherds had on that first Christmas night to look into the face of God and realize that now God is no longer so far away, but rather Jesus is “Emmanuel,” God with us.  Again theologians can speak at length as to why this had to be the case, but nothing
compares with the assurance and knowledge that God has come to be with us.

Just think of the excitement and longing that is expressed when someone who has been away for a long time comes home again.  We know of the stories of a soldier who has been away at war overseas, or even a young man or woman who goes away to college. There is expectation and preparation for their coming.  There is joy and love and tears when they finally arrive.  Now just imagine the intensity of this experience, when it comes to our Lord Jesus Christ Who now comes to us at Christmas.

And of course the thing that we must remember is that this should be a part of our lives, not only for the one day of Christmas, but rather each and every day, each and every moment.  We are given the privilege of encountering the face of God, each and every time we gather for Holy Mass and receive Christ present in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  We encounter the face of God in Jesus each time we hear the voice of Christ as we receive the Sacrament of the Word of God.  But beyond this we also begin to see that the face of God in Jesus Christ is visible to us in those who surround us.  We remind ourselves that Jesus said to us, “truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40)  We see then that through each act of love and caring this time of year, we have the opportunity to look into the face of God in following the command of Jesus.  We are called to perform these acts of loving kindness especially at Christmas, as the face of the Christ Child is so near to us, but again the challenge in our lives and our faith is to realize and know that the face of God within the family of Christ is around us constantly, it is up to us, not to lose sight of it.

So to my brother bishops, my brothers in the priesthood and diaconate, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus our newborn Lord within the Polish National Catholic Church, I pray that you will all encounter the face and presence of Jesus Christ, within our Holy Church and within each and every day of your lives this Christmas season and throughout the coming year.  I extend to you all my love and best wishes for a joyous and holy Christmas season.  May the peace and blessing of Almighty God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, descend upon you all.