New Year's Day

What is the most astonishing message of the stable?

The book of Hebrews describes the Son of God as entirely surrendered to his Father’s will. To accomplish this humble purpose, the Son of God needed to enter into the substance of our humanity by being born as a little baby. He could not suffer a death that resulted in atonement unless he was in possession of a real human body.

With the coming of Christ at the first Christmas, the immortal God became a mortal man. This is the mystery of the incarnation. By becoming human, the Christ became vulnerable to all the sufferings of a fallen world, starting with birth and leading all the way to death.

What does God want from us in return for this gift? The same thing he wanted from his Son: not mere ritual sacrifice, but total obedience (see 1 Samuel 15:22; Amos 5:21-24). Our calling is to make a surrender similar to Christ’s, offering our bodies to God for the service of his kingdom.

The stable’s most important, most astonishing message—and the truest meaning of Christmas—is the message of the cross. This Christmas and always, we are called to give our lives to the Savior, to surrender in total obedience to God as fully as Christ surrendered to the will of his Father.

Reflection: How is God calling you to surrender more fully to his will?

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