The true meaning of Christmas

What is the true meaning of Christmas ???

Christmas trees, Santa Claus, decorations, exchanging gifts, and the many other seasonal traditions that most of us observe are wonderful ways for family and friends to mark this time of year. What we must all take care to remember is that these customs, enjoyable as they are, ultimately have nothing to do with the true meaning of Christmas. The true meaning of Christmas -- the "reason for the season" -- is found only in the message of the gospel. Here it is, so beautifully encapsulated in John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life"

Let me continue: Christmas is the church's celebration of the Incarnation, the supreme mystery that the holy and almighty God took on human flesh and was born in this world of the Virgin Mary. God became one of us in order to die for us and save us from sin, death, and the power of the devil. A mystery this profound can't be contemplated in just one day. This is why the church pauses during Advent to prepare for the Lord's coming. This is also why Christmas extends for a period of twelve days and leads directly into the breathtaking festival of the Epiphany, the day and season the church sets aside to ponder the many ways Christ revealed Himself to the world as God Incarnate.

Which leads me to the question of Advent ? What this means for us Catholics ?

Advent is the season that begins the liturgical year. It consists of four Sundays starting with the Sunday closest to November 30th. The word "advent" is derived from the Latin adventus, which means "coming" or "arrival."

WHY IS ADVENT SUCH AN IMPORTANT SEASON IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH?

While the rest of secular society is already caught up in the frantic rush of shopping, decorations, parties, and other distractions, the church takes pause during Advent to contemplate the wonder of God's underserved mercy and love in Jesus Christ. Christians approach the Advent season much as expectant parents approach the months before a child is born. There are feelings of exhilaration, uneasiness, longing, and awe as the day of arrival approaches. Just as parents do everything they can to get ready and put things into good order, God's people prepare themselves at home and at church for the coming of the Lord by exercising the disciplines of Advent: confession and repentance, fervent prayer, immersion in Scripture, fasting. Saint Paul's, like many congregations, conducts special mid-week Advent worship services and hands out special devotional booklets to give our members further opportunities to prepare their hearts for the coming of our Lord and Savior. The following familiar hymn verse beautifully captures our spirit of joyful anticipation and disciplined preparation during this season:

Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes, The Savior promised long; Let ev'ry heart prepare a throne And ev'ry voice a song!