The readings for the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord are very familiar to us. We have heard them many times before, whenever we attend Mass during Christmas. The readings point out that the Light has come into the world through the story of the birth of the Messiah and how angels announced his birth and shepherds came to visit him. The readings open up before us amazing signs and symbols. And yet, today, what do they really mean to us?

While Christmas Day is a time of rejoicing and generosity, it also calls us to reflect deeply on what the Incarnation means to you and me. The Incarnation of Jesus is more than an important event in the history of humanity. It is the moment when God gave Himself totally and lovingly to us, each of us, that we may, in turn, give ourselves entirely to Him.

That God took on human form should make us stop and ponder its significance to us these days, especially as we try to bring some form of normalcy to our lives in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Has He been truly born anew in our hearts? Will the coming of the Saviour make any difference to us in the new year? Unless the readings help us think deeply about our faith and help us transform ourselves, they will remain just words - that will soon be forgotten. May we allow the Light to shine into our lives so that the Saviour may be born anew in us.