Looking to the Holy Family for Hope This Christmas Season

For Christians, Christmas is indeed “the most wonderful time of the year.” Whatever is happening in our lives – for better or for worse – we reflect upon a fact that is objective and true, no matter our present circumstances.

Every December 25, we celebrate the most important truth of human history – the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).

Christ – who became incarnate in the womb of the Virgin Mary nine months earlier – descended from His place at the right hand of the Father, took upon human flesh and received a human nature (Phil. 2:5-8). He was formed in Mary’s womb for nine months, born and “wrapped … in swaddling cloths and laid … in a manger” (Luke 2:7, ESV).

Christians, who may have heard this fact repeated ad nauseum in church, should not miss the significance of these events.

God, infinitely perfect and blessed within Himself as a communion of persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – willed to create human beings to share in His divine life (2 Peter 1:4). He did not need to do this, but He did so out of His sheer goodness and love.

When human beings marred this relationship by sin, Christ became human (not leaving aside His divine nature) and “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:8).

The late 20th century Pastor R.G. Lee, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, once spoke about the incarnation of Christ, giving a beautiful reflection:

Christ who in eternity rested motherless upon the Father’s bosom and in time rested fatherless upon a woman’s bosom, clasping the Ancient of Days had become the Infant of Days.

What deep descent from the heights of glory to the depths of shame; from the wonders of heaven to the wickedness of earth; from exaltation to humiliation; from the throne to the tree; from dignity to debasement; from worship to wrath; from the halls of heaven to the nails of earth; from the coronation to the curse; from the glory place to the gory place!

In Bethlehem, humility and glory in their extremes were joined. Born in a stable! Cradled in a cattle trough! Wrapped in swaddling clothes of poverty! No room for Him who made all rooms! No place for Him who made and knows all places! Oh, deep humiliation of the Creator – born of the creature, woman! But in His descent was the dawn of mercy. Because we cannot ascend to Him, He descends to us.

Indeed, Christ descended to us, was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and began the restoration of all things to Himself (Eph. 1:10).

St. Thomas Aquinas, in the introduction to his Compendium of Theology, summarized the work of Christ in two sentences:

To restore man, who had been laid low by sin, to the heights of divine glory, the Word of the eternal Father, though containing all things within His immensity, willed to become small. This He did, not by putting aside His greatness, but by taking to Himself our littleness.

This is the Gospel, and it is a most profound, wonderful truth that should change how we see ourselves, and how we view our present, and our future. Because of Christ, we have hope. That is very good news and is worth celebrating.

Yet, there’s a less recognized holiday within Christmastide that more traditionally liturgical churches celebrate each year as well. It is the feast of the Holy Family which honors Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and her husband Joseph, and is generally celebrated on Dec. 29.

It should not be missed upon us that Christ, in His mission to become human and restore all creation which has been corrupted by sin, entered the world as a part of a family.

Indeed, Christ could have chosen any way to become human. But He chose to be conceived by the Holy Spirit with the very DNA of Mary, truly becoming entirely human as her Son. As a member of the Holy Family, He took our humanness to Himself so that we might be brought into the family of God.

Pope John Paul II said in his Angelus address on December 30, 2001,

The Redeemer of the world chose the family as the place for his birth and growth, thereby sanctifying this fundamental institution of every society.

This Christmas, even if our family celebrations are tinged with pain, suffering, family drama, loss, loneliness or sadness, look to the Holy Family for hope.

For Christ, being born into a human family with two human parents, chose this most essential human institution – which He created at the beginning of time – to receive Him.

Despite our sins and weaknesses, the family is a great gift from God – so much so that Christ became a part of one.

Consider inviting Him into your family life this Christmas. Pray He will help you rejoice in what is good, and will restore what is broken, find what is lost and redeem all things. For Christ is “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Eph. 3:20, ESV).

To speak with a family help specialist or request resources, please call us at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).

Related articles and resources:

The Purpose of Christmas

Meaningful Christmas Memories

Traditions: Old and New Ways to Celebrate Christmas

Blue Christmas – The Longest Night

The Cultural Paradox of Following Jesus Christ

Why Believe in Christianity? Because it is True.

How Big is Your View of the Gospel?

Appreciating the Full Scope of the Lordship of Christ – and the Gospel Itself

Christianity is Both a Religion and a Relationship

Against the Prosperity Gospel