“See What Love the Father Has Given Us”

In the glow of the Christmas season, the Church invites us to look more deeply—not only at the Child in the manger, but at who we have become because of Him. Today’s readings lift our eyes from the wonder of Bethlehem to the miracle taking place within us. Christmas is not only about God coming close to humanity; it is about humanity being drawn into the very life of God. Saint John declares with amazement: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us, that we may be called the children of God—and so we are.” This is not poetic exaggeration; it is a spiritual reality. Through Christ, we are not merely forgiven sinners or distant servants—we are God’s own children. Christmas reveals the depth of this love: the eternal Son becomes one of us so that we might share in what He is. God comes down to raise us up. Yet John is honest about the tension of this new identity. “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed.” We live between promise and fulfillment. We carry divine life in fragile human vessels. The world may not recognize us, just as it did not recognize Christ. But our hope is anchored in this truth: when He is revealed, “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” This hope purifies us—not by fear, but by love. Knowing who we are becoming shapes how we live today. The Gospel brings this mystery into sharp focus as John the Baptist points and proclaims: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Christmas does not ignore the reality of sin; it confronts it with mercy. The Child born in Bethlehem is the Lamb who will give His life. From the very beginning, Christ’s mission is clear: to remove the barrier that separates us from God. In Him there is no sin, and in remaining in Him, we are freed from the power of sin. To remain in Christ is to live in communion, allowing His life to flow through us. John the Baptist testifies that he saw the Spirit descend and remain upon Jesus. This detail is crucial. The same Spirit who rested upon Christ has been poured into our hearts. The One who takes away the sin of the world now baptizes us with the Holy Spirit, enabling us to live as children of God—not by our own strength, but by divine grace. The psalm invites all creation to join this celebration: “All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.” Salvation is not hidden or reserved for a few; it is proclaimed, sung, and shared. Our lives, too, are meant to become songs of praise—testimonies of what God’s love can do in ordinary, broken people. As we continue to celebrate Christmas, today’s liturgy asks us not only to admire Christ, but to abide in Him. To behold the Lamb is to follow Him. To be called children of God is to live as such—with purity of heart, trust in the Father, and hope fixed on what is yet to be revealed. This is the enduring gift of Christmas: God with us, God within us, making us His own.