Joy of His coming

In preparation for Christmas, some are preparing sweets, some are planning for cribs, others thinking of gifts. The sight of the final outcome and the enjoying of sweets are the moments of happiness. Christmas joy, really, is an outcome of having the child at the manger of Bethlehem in our life. Once we have seen him, taken him, and loved him, our life receives a new light and joy.

A theme that comes often in this season is the great banquet in the book of Isaiah: “… the Lord Almighty will prepare a great banquet for all peoples (Isaiah 25:6-9).” In the context of Advent, a time of waiting and preparation, this great banquet is awaited and personalised. A humble feeding manger becomes a symbol of the great banquet, where God’s abundance and love are shared with all people. This banquet, where God will wipe away tears and destroy death, remove every disgrace from all the earth offers a powerful message of joy and hope. The banquet at the manger is not a symbol, it is a reality. The poor, the meek, the afflicted will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will rejoice in him (Psalm 22:26). We go to the manger to take him into our hands and hearts, to be fed by him, to be comforted and healed; burdens to be lightened and find rest for our souls.


Another verse from Isaiah, “the Lord will rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:5, Zephaniah 3:17) provides a comforting renewal promise from God. People suffered abandonment and rejection, and the land became desolate. God renamed their painful wounds, as ‘God’s Delight,’ and ‘the Bride of God.’ When the mystery of incarnation touches us deeply, this child given to us is an anointing, soothing our weary souls. Regardless of our past experiences, feelings of abandonment, or societal labels, we find a new definition in the baby in the manger, the banquet of life. In him, we can find that we are worth something, the worth of a child of God. This is our true identity, one grounded in love and acceptance, fostering a sense of inner peace and fulfilment. By calling us the ‘Bride of God’ God shows us how he cherishes our belonging to him. It is nourishment that removes every shame and makes us stand worthy amidst people. In those moments of despair, when the weight of the world feels particularly heavy, we can sense God’s gentle hand guiding us through our pain. It is often in the quiet stillness of prayer that His comfort washes over us like a warm embrace. The Holy Spirit speaks truths of our lives into our hearts, reminding us of God’s unfailing love and the sacredness of our journey, even when the path feels obscured by shadows. In fact, we are re-narrating our life in the joy of God, re-naming and rebirthing ourselves. It is the beginning of a process of re-birthing the Messiah in us.


We can experience God’s unique comfort through the presence of our loved ones — those who listen to us, who walk beside us, and whose laughter reminds us of joy even amidst sorrow. They become sacraments of His grace, reflecting the love of Christ in tangible ways. Nature, too, reveals God’s majesty and tenderness; a blooming flower, a serene sunrise, or the gentle rustle of leaves can spark a mystical connection, drawing us closer to the Creator who designed these wonders for our delight.

The comfort from God is woven throughout the fabric of our lives, illuminating even the darkest corners. It invites us into a deeper relationship with Him, fostering a mystical intimacy where our souls resonate with His divine presence, ultimately guiding us toward healing and peace. In this sacred communion, we find the strength to persevere and the assurance that God's love surrounds us, cradling us in our moments of need.

The banquet, the comfort, rejoicing are they all real? Or a feel-good imaginations? The child given to us makes it real. Christ is the banquet of joy, a reality we must realise in us. The divine child is fed at the breast of Mary. Mary brings forth the best fruit of her life. The shepherds arrive with help and care. There is a banquet of communion of bodies, the potential of grace in human bodies. Joy comes as a living reality only when our bodies are engaged in communion which ensures comfort and healing for one another. Tears will be wiped away, no one will be abandoned, prejudices may be removed, and life will be ensured. Christ is revealed and born in our communion. There is the real joy of the birth of Christ.

When children cry in fear and pain, when there is no flower and sweetness, when only smoke, fire, and bombshells are all around, the joy of Christmas is not from a passive hope but from an active stand for justice. If there is no Christophany in us amidst the invisibles and the uncounted among our brothers and sisters, there is no good news.

We pray that we may be able to approach Christ with a sincere expectation to see him in our life. In us, there may be a manger, fear of tragedy, or wandering for meaning. The reality of incarnation may be real in us only if we are ready to see Christ in simplicity, humiliation, shame, and limitations. Because it is there, we find ourselves in Christ to be born anew into the freshness of life.

Perhaps it is worth taking the child Jesus like Simeon in our hands. He saw a fulfilment of what he had waited for. His heart was filled with peace and contentment. Let us now take into our hearts the words of Isaiah 9:6: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Christ, born as a child, is a sure sign that he has entered into our human realities. His rule in faithfulness and justice will ensure life and hope for us. He guides, guards, nourishes, and leads us in peace.

This is a great gift to us from God. In Christ, God recreates us, not just by a command, but by an active involvement in our lives. We are reminded of a transformative relationship with God, our relationship as the children of God. When we truly embrace this gift with open hearts, a deep sense of gratitude and joy fills our hearts. Is it not wonderful to feel that joy, especially when we understand what it truly means to be the children of God? It’s a journey that brings us closer to God and to one another.

Joy also springs forth when we actively live out the virtues seen in the Bethlehem community. In sharing joy with others—especially the marginalized and the poor—we mirror the heart of God, who delights in lifting up the downtrodden. In doing so, we experience the freedom that comes from loving as we have been loved, and our joy becomes a wellspring that nourishes our souls and those around us.

Gratitude is something essential for experiencing joy. We often find ourselves struggling to find happiness in the midst of challenges. What else can make the people around the nativity scene joyous other than gratitude? Mary and Joseph were grateful; the shepherds and the wise men were grateful. There was nothing so great to be excited about. There was not only an incarnation of Christ, there was also an incarnation of care, presence, and happiness, which brought all of them there. Can we find something in our lives every day to be grateful for? Gratitude gradually shifts our focus from limitations to something worthy of us. Perhaps, our words or actions were very significant to some others. Even some silly things have been so great step in our own life. We realise something surrounding us, goodness and provision in our lives. Even for the moments we have failed, gratitude can give us a sense of need for God’s assistance in our lives. God’s sure presence, the experience of ‘God is with us’ is another reason for great joy.

“… a child is given to us.” This givenness deeply expresses the generosity of God. It is also a great sign of God’s love, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son (John 3:16).” Love is the reason for God’s generosity, and God gives fully because God’s nature is love and goodness. Jesus emptied himself for us in his love that we may live fully. Thus, God’s generous love redeems us from sorrows, fears, loneliness and rejection. This divine generosity invites us also to be generous. We offer gifts to others in this season of Christmas. If we are to share in God’s nature of generosity and goodness, we share ourselves in a process of self-emptying. That is strengthening, healing, comforting and life-giving. As we become a sacrament of God’s love and goodness, we experience joy not only in receiving but in giving. That is the beauty of joy that flows from love shared among us all. It also reflects the beauty of God, and causes the song of the angels, “Glory to God in the Highest, and peace to people of goodwill.”