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Christmas Eve Vietnamese Mass My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Tonight, with great joy, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. Tonight, in faith, we proclaim that there is a Savior. Tonight, in a special way, we rejoice in the fact that God loves us, that He has come to us and that He remains here on our earth and is always with us. This is Christmas Eve. This is a night to remember. This is the time to enter into the Mystery of the plan of God for us. As the Holy Gospel tells us, Jesus was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He came into our world, taking our human flesh and blood. He became one of us and He came to fulfill the beautiful plan of God for human beings. When God created human beings, He made us in His own Image and Likeness. He gifted us not only with reason but also with freedom. Reason, faith and freedom are some of the many gifts God gave us so that we could follow His plan to eternal happiness. Unfortunately, human beings, the creatives, rejected the plan of the Creator. Human beings sinned. They said “no” to God instead of the “yes” of love. In that tragic moment of sin, human beings were lost. There was no hope for us. We were in a predicament that we were incapable to correct. But God loves us so much He looked on us with tender mercy. In His great love and mercy, He said: “I will send My Son and He will save you.” This magnificent promise of God is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the plan of God to save us was re-opened and we were invited to a new and better life. It is this glorious Christmas reality that we celebrate here tonight – our freedom and our salvation in Jesus Christ. Through the Gospel, the angel says to us what was said at the birth of Jesus: “Do not be afraid. Behold I proclaim to you Good News of great joy that will be for all the people. Today, in the city of David, a Savior has been born for you Who is Christ and Lord.” This Christmas message of love is given to each of us, young or old, rich or poor, good or bad. God loves everyone of us more than we can ever imagine. He loves us so much that He came as a baby, as one of us. He came to live, to suffer and to die for us. His life is a communion of love. His death is a sacrifice of love. His resurrection is the power of God overcoming sin and eternal death. Dear Brothers and Sisters, Christmas is about life, about living. A baby is born Who is human and divine. A baby Who is our Lord and Savior. A baby Who brings Good News of life everlasting. And so tonight, we not only look back to Bethlehem where that baby was born but we also look to this altar where He comes again! In Bethlehem, the power and majesty of God was hidden in a baby. On this altar, God is veiled again under the appearance of bread and wine. This is the same Jesus Who was born in Bethlehem, Who grew up in Nazareth, Who died on the cross at Calvary. Then and now, He invites us to a new and better life. He says: “Take My Flesh and eat It. Take My Blood and drink It and you shall have life everlasting.” The message the angel spoke at Bethlehem is true tonight – “Fear not! I proclaim to you Good News. A Savior is born. He is Christ and Lord.” It is this Christmas proclamation that urges me to assure you again of God’s tremendous love for each one of us. Jesus looks at us lovingly from the crib, from the cross and from this altar and He sees you and you and you and you and me. He invites us to a new and better life – to life everlasting in heaven. May you and your loved ones have a most blessed Christmas. May the love of God be always in your homes and in your hearts. May you follow the plan of God daily into life everlasting in heaven. Merry Christmas and may God bless you always. Most
Reverend Eusebius J. Beltran |