newYou can now listen to Fox News articles.
So many holidays incorporate love into their themes. When you hear the word love, you probably think of Valentine’s Day. It’s a common and understandable association, but to use a cliché, I think it’s based on a misunderstanding of the true meaning of Christmas.
Charlie Brown was right. In many ways, Christmas has become “commercial.” Everywhere you go, you’re bombarded with messages about what to buy, where to shop, and how to spend your money on vacation. Sadly, Christmas seems to have become just another reason to shop.
There is great value in gift-giving, but the central message of Christmas gets lost when we focus on the superficial and commercial. The message that started the gift-giving tradition in the first place.
Advent 2024: As President of Pepperdine, we learned through suffering that Christ brings the light that ends darkness.
It’s time to bring back the real reason to celebrate Christmas. It’s time we remember that Christmas is first and foremost about love.
John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” ”. This is the most quoted and most famous verse in the Bible. However, many of us don’t realize that this word has an amazing effect on the Christmas season.
That’s why I would like to draw your attention to a small, often overlooked word in this most famous verse: “that.” This word says a lot about the nature of God and love. God loved the world and loved each of us very much that. This love worked mightily to restore what was broken, bridging the gap between fallen humanity and a loving, holy God.
Just as God acted to restore us from the ultimate sin that separated us from Him, we Christians must act in ways that restore Biblical justice to a broken world. You are asked to act. (St. Petersburg)
He never stopped feeling love. That love drove Jesus to radical action. It inspired God to present his beloved Son as Immanuel, God with us. It prompted Christmas. That’s what love is. When love is real, it always inspires action. Just as God acted to restore us from the ultimate sin that separated us from Him, we Christians must act in ways that restore Biblical justice to a broken world. You are asked to act.
That’s why we give presents every Christmas. It’s a tangible way to show those closest to us that we love them.
The Christmas story makes that clear. Love crosses divisions, overcomes obstacles, and brings about change.
But if love stops among those closest to us, we are not truly living God’s love. Notice the object of God’s love in John 3:16. It’s the world. Above all, a world that did not love God, a world that did everything possible to live apart from God.
Yet God loved.
As you know, God’s love is tied to Biblical justice. Love extends to everyone, even those we disagree with or don’t particularly like. The Christmas story makes that clear. Love crosses divisions, overcomes obstacles, and brings about change. We actively confront injustice, protect the vulnerable, and build the foundations for reconciliation.
For more FOX News opinions, click here
This Christmas season, each of us is called to this kind of love. And there’s no better time than now to put that into practice. Because despite the shopping frenzy and consumer messaging, the holiday season is rich with opportunities to show love for others.
So this year, look for opportunities to get involved in service projects that make a difference in the lives of people in your community. Instead of spending more money on gifts for family and friends this year, find creative ways to celebrate those who can’t afford presents. Gather a group and carol at your local retirement home.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
But go and make a change. Go and live that love that has given us a reason to celebrate. This is what makes the Christmas season so special. I believe it brings us back to this magical time and the wonder we felt as children.
It’s not just the presents, the lights, and the time you spend with your loved ones, although those things are pretty good. It is also an act of love and sacrifice. These are the small moments in which we have the opportunity to truly be the hands and feet of Jesus to those around us by practicing love through our actions.
Click here to read more articles from Rev. Samuel Rodriguez
