December 25 | The Nativity of the Lord

The celebration of the Nativity of the Lord was not one of the earliest feasts in the Church, but can be traced back to around the middle of the 4th century. It is always celebrated on December 25. 

The birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is recorded in scripture in both Matthew and Luke’s gospels. It is an event that changed the course of history. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (Jn 1:1,14). 

Pope Benedict XVI said of the significance of Christ’s birth: 

God’s sign is His humility. God’s sign is that He makes Himself small; He becomes a child; He lets us touch Him and He asks for our love. How we would prefer a different sign, an imposing, irresistible sign of God’s power and greatness! But His sign summons us to faith and love, and thus it gives us hope: this is what God is like. He has power, He is goodness itself. He invites us to become like Him.