Faith Reflection

Due to the imminent end of the school year, this week’s reflection extends beyond Advent to the scene of the Nativity. It is a familiar image: little baby Jesus asleep in the manger, surrounded by his family and farm animals beneath the Christmas Star. We also hear of the Three Wise Men arriving from a distant eastern land to bring gifts for the infant Jesus.

The first gift offered is Gold, symbolising Jesus’ royal status and alluding to his title as the King of the Jews. The second gift presented to Jesus is incense (frankincense), commonly used in places of worship, signifying Jesus’ divinity as the true God. The final gift is myrrh, an oil used for embalming, representing his eventual death.

The Wise Men look beyond the innocence of the scene to the journey that lies ahead for this little baby. Jesus would go on to perform miracles, preach radical ideas leading to conflict with the authorities of the time, and eventually be betrayed and crucified. Life would be difficult for his family, fleeing to Egypt as refugees, and tradition tells us that Jesus’ stepfather Joseph died when he was young.

As gloomy as this image may seem at first, Scripture and our faith tell us that this was not the end. Rather, it is through Jesus’ resurrection that these images become ones of hope. During the Christmas Mass, John’s first passage is read, declaring Jesus as the Word made flesh, that the divine God walked to Earth with us, and then we saw his glory. Thus, the Nativity is not just a scene of a difficult life to come but rather, as John says, "The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” It is a scene of hope.

In this Christmas season, we are unaware of what lies ahead for each of us in the next year. But the scene of the Nativity gives us hope that no matter what challenges we may encounter, all will be well and part of God’s plan.

So, what does this mean for us? We are called to spread Jesus’ message of hope and love to the world. Over the past several weeks, our Year 5/6’s have sought to do just this. The students worked together to make hampers for the residents in John Hannah House – through their hard work, they spread joy to their fellow persons. We can be inspired by their efforts and, in turn, ask… what can we do this Christmas season?