This night finally arrived and the reality exceeded the expectation. On the two masses for Sunday, I kept feeling the tug of anticipation and fulfillment, seeing all the verdant pine backdrops littered with yellow lights, the crisp smell of winter and evergreen, the cold air and the cold weather clothes. But this was just part of the ambience. The substance of the story can hardly be captured in words.
After a Christmas breakfast and presents with my wife's family and a Christmas lunch, plus seconds and thirds with my clan (the nephews and nieces alone number near 20 and all of my 10 siblings are married)--we again opened presents. But the best present had already been opened at mass, and in reality had already been opened 2,000 years ago. Jesus, son of God and son of Mary, the Eternal Word was made flesh, a gift that can be wrapped, rewrapped and received for all of time. So as I left Christmas mass, my daughter in one hand, a diaper bag, coat and purse in the other, I smiled in my wife's direction. Like her, I realized that Christmas could come and go, yet the Christ child would remain. At every mass, every day, we could come and adore him who was born the king of angels, yet chose to be the companion of stable animals.
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