REFLECTION ON THE READINGS – CHRISTMAS – CHRISTMAS DAY – YR. (A)
(Isaiah 52: 7-10; Heb. 1: 1-6; John 1:1-18)
THE BEAUTIFUL FEET OF MESSENGERS OF GOOD NEWS – GOD IS WITH US.
The text of today’s first reading is part of Isaiah’s prophecy called ‘the second Isaiah (Chs. 40-55). It was written during the Babylonian exile when Jerusalem had been destroyed, the people displaced and questioned God’s fidelity. The exile created a deep crisis of faith. In the proclamation: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the one who brings good news” (Is.52:7), the prophet brings a victory proclamation announcing the end of exile and the return of Yahweh’s kingship to Zion. The prophet dared to respond to the crisis with a strong message of comfort, restoration, and hope. The Christmas Message of HIS GRACE, MOST REV. L. I. UGORJI, delivered to the entire people of Nigeria as the CBCN President, which he titled ‘GOD IS WITH US’ resonated the same prophetic courage. In a Nigeria that ‘today carries heavy wounds’, His Grace dared to bring a strong message of hope. Our reflection seeks to continue to extend this message of hope amidst our Nigerian situation which His Grace also portrayed: ‘Economic hardship, insecurity, displacement, and persistent violence have left many of our people fearful, weary, and uncertain.
In ancient Israel, a runner appearing on the hills often signalled victory or deliverance, not defeat. Thus, “beautiful feet” is the joyful urgency of the messenger, the life-saving content of the message. The good news is not merely emotional relief; it is historical salvation: Israel’s exile is over. God is acting decisively again in history – “Your God reigns”. In the words of His Grace, God did not respond to the brokenness of the world with distance or indifference. He responded by drawing near. This Good News holds three main truths of faith for us: 1. God has not abdicated. 2. The salvation in Christ Jesus is one of hope. 3. The good news is one that changes reality. This is the foundation of
It always begins with an acute awareness of God’s presence. At Christmas, God does not send only a message—He sends Himself. Today’s gospel is clear about it: the Word becomes flesh and dwells among us (Jn 1:14). The good news is not merely proclaimed, it is embodied. But the manner through which God enters is of utmost importance. Our God the Emmanuel comes in weakness. No throne, no army, no palace, a child in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. According to His Grace, in Jesus Christ, born in humility and vulnerability, God entered human history, embraced human suffering, and chose presence over abandonment. The presence of God amongst us as a weak person tells us of what His Grace calls the deeper Christmas truth: “suffering does not mean abandonment.” This is the basis of our hope.
The salvation brought by God to Israel rested on hope. Today, the salvation brought by Jesus Christ can only be advanced through the audacity of hope. Amidst suffering, there can be inclinations to jeer at hope. One would have imagined amongst the exiles, those who jeered at the prophets’ words of hope. There could even have been those who chose the ways of the zealots, as we see in propensities to carry arms today. Yet, it was hope that differentiated the prophets. No Christian can safely dispense with hope. His Grace also preached the message of hope. According to him, “Christmas opens before us the path toward hope and renewal”. For His Grace, “Christian hope does not deny evil, but it refuses to concede that evil is final. Even when answers are delayed and outcomes remain uncertain, hope assures us that no life is forgotten and that every effort to protect life and restore dignity participates in God’s saving work.”
Furthermore, hope is a message given to the poor masses more than the well-to-do. One may even think that the leaders do not read our Bishop’s Christmas messages. But Jesus preached the good news to the poor. Instilling hope to the poor is not to weaken them, but to show their reality as the true believers. His Grace is right about it: “Even amid these trials, signs of hope continue to emerge in our land. Across our communities, many Nigerians quietly choose courage over fear, honesty over corruption, and service over self-interest. These daily acts of faithfulness remind us that the moral heart of our nation is still alive and that renewal can grow even in a difficult soil.” These masses for sure are the true changers of reality.
The Good News that changes reality means that first, in Christmas we have accepted a new understanding of divine kingship: God reigns through humility. This is a challenge for every false image of power Christians may carry. Secondly, it means in the words of His Grace that ‘what has been fractured can be rebuilt, and what has been wounded can be healed. This is a challenge towards a continued choice of good over evil.
Christmas is still our celebration. And no one can steal the joy from us. Our feet will continue to be beautiful, binging messages of Good News, for GOD IS WITH US.
May the Christmas peace that passes human understanding always abide with us. Amen.
Blessings
Fr. KCK
Reflection Questions
