FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 2019
A FAMILY ON MISSION
December 25, 2019
This is our first Christmas as Missionary Families of Christ. It is so appropriate, because Christmas is all about being missionary, being family, and being of Christ. All these are wondrous and mysterious aspects of the work of God in us. As indeed the Incarnation is a great mystery, that God chose to become man and be born of a virgin, in order to bring us our salvation.
We as MFC are “of Christ.” In the stable in Bethlehem, there was Mary, and Joseph, and the animals, and the shepherds, and the magi, and the angels. They were all centered on the Babe in the manger. Here was their King. Here was the Savior of the world. We too are centered on Christ. We too acknowledge Jesus as our Savior and Lord. He has come, and he will come again.
We as MFC are “Families.” We look to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. We recognize the importance given by God to the family, as Jesus came by way of woman, held in the womb for nine months, born into the loving relationship of parents. Jesus would remain in the family home for 30 years, where he was formed and prepared for mission. We too look to our families, recognizing our husband-wife relationship as reflecting that of Christ and his Church, caring for our children as God’s own children, preparing the next generations to serve.
We as MFC are “Missionary.” God sent His Son in order to save the world, to dispel the darkness of sin. We too are sent by God, to proclaim the good news of salvation in Jesus, to help bring people to repentance and transformation in Christ, to restore all to the Kingdom.
The magi had given gifts to Jesus, gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. This Christmas season is one of gift-giving. We give gifts to many, especially to those we love the most. We should then also give gifts to Jesus. The best gift is that of ourselves. We offer ourselves to Jesus. Now unlike us, Jesus does not keep his gifts to himself. The gift that he has received, he gives as a gift. He thus gives us to the world, to become instruments of his salvation.
Christmas is a great season of joy. And of family. Of hard-earned rest. Of celebration. We are to enjoy all these. But we are to be mindful of the reason for the season. Jesus came by way of the family so that his salvation would be brought to the ends of the earth.
As we look on the Babe in the manger, let us be mindful as well of the reason for our call as MFC. Like the Holy Family, we are families on mission.
Merry Christmas to you all.
