Christmas is a day celebrated by many people around the world, all seemingly for different reasons. For some, Christmas is a day to show appreciation to the people who are dear to them, or to get together and enjoy each other’s company in good spirit. Although many see this as the meaning of Christmas, we cannot overlook its true purpose. Christmas is a day when Christians come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. When translated into English, Christmas means “the Mass of Christ,” making it clear that the day is dedicated to Jesus. The day of the Saviour’s birth is a momentous day for all Christians, as the incarnation is an extraordinary act of love given by God. He would choose to come down to earth and endure our suffering, and eventually suffer for all our sins.

Christmas is not just a singular day that is celebrated at random, but rather is part of the greater celebration of Advent. Advent begins four weeks prior to Christmas, all in preparation for Christ’s coming. This practice is observed in the Roman Catholic tradition each Sunday. Closer to Christmas, a candle is added to the Advent wreath each week until there rests four candles. The first candle is the prophecy candle, also known as the candle of hope. It is a reminder of the prophets, particularly the prophet Isaiah, who prophesised Christ’s coming. In the second week, the candle of Bethlehem is presented, also referred to as the candle of peace. It represents the remembrance of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem. The third week brings the shepherd’s candle, also known as the candle of joy. It is with this candle that we are reminded to celebrate like the shepherds did when they heard of the coming of Christ. Finally, the last week of advent brings the angels’ candle, also known as the candle of love. It represents the love given by God to all of us, and is also seen as one of His greatest gifts to humanity. These candles guide us to discern what goals to put our minds toward, namely preparing ourselves for the coming of Christ.

 Daily devotional prayers are a common practice in the Roman Catholic tradition. They each focus on a different passage from the Bible and make us reflect on our lives in preparation of the Lord’s coming. Coming closer to Christmas, many Catholics participate in acts of almsgiving. For example, here in Winnipeg, Holy Cross Parish avidly supports the impoverished, offering hot food to the poor through their Bradsbury’ s meal program along with other programs during Advent. Other parishes will often encourage us to do our parts to serve others during this time, as it is crucial for us to understand Christ’s love for us and put it into action.

 Christmas is the day of the Lord’s birth. We must try to understand his reason for coming during the time of Advent through prayer or daily devotionals. May this Christmas season be a time where we embrace the spirit of giving, reflecting on the true meaning of Christ’s birth, and living out His teachings through selfless service to others.