We are familiar with the images in a Christmas crib. Infant Jesus, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, the Magi, and the gifts they brought. Surely we expect some guests also for Christmas. But we forget that an unwelcome guest is waiting outside our house during this Christmas. It has been his habit to stand outside the door in search of his prey. God warned Cain about this unwanted guest. ‘Sin is lurking at the door’ (Gen 4: 7). But Cain ignored the warning.
It looks odd to mention the name of the devil at the time of Christmas. But the good news – of which the angels sung ‘Gloria in excelsis Deo’, and for which we celebrate Christmas – was the fulfilment of a promise given at the beginning of humanity. ‘He (the offspring of the woman) will strike your head,and you will strike his heel’ (Gen 3:15). All other verses in the Scripture are directly or indirectly connected to this first good news and we rightly call it the Protoevangelium.
The mission of Jesus Christ, the offspring of the woman, was to ‘destroy the works of the devil’ (1 Jn 3:8). This is why ‘the dragon stood before the woman so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born’ (Rev 12:4). But he failed in this attempt and in his anger he went straight to the palace of Herod to force him to slay many other infants in and around Bethlehem. For the devil it needed a Herod to do it then, but now he is happy that many mothers are ready to kill their unborn children.
As we reach the end of the gospel the devil is still standing outside the door. This time he took Judas Iscariot with him. Do we know that the devil is standing outside the church waiting for someone who has received the Holy Eucharist with an unholy heart? Also remember that any accusations against the Lord and his Church (Jn 12:4-6) will surely land us into the hands of our enemy.
He is waiting there outside our dinner table too. When Jesus is absent at our table, naturally this void will be filled by the devil. Let us pray for our Christmas table not to ‘become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for us’ (Ps 69:22, Rom 11:9).
The devil is waiting there to welcome all those who celebrate Christmas even while keeping hatred, anger, and jealousy in their hearts. It was during one such occasion that he could lay his hands on Cain. Never think that we are the most eager people to welcome Christmas, rather it is the devil who looks forward to Christmas as a golden opportunity to draw as many souls as possible to his fold.
Let our thoughts during this Christmas be around ‘the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan’ (Rev 20:2). He is actively in the field to offer us a Christmas celebration filled with all kinds of abominations so as to make it a passport to the place where he himself dwells. So we must celebrate this Christmas with fear and caution. Let us welcome it with a pure heart and clean thoughts. Let us cease from hatred and jealousy. As the Nativity reminds us of the infinite mercy that our Father has shown to us, let us also be merciful to others.
Christmas is an occasion of heavenly joy. But never think that the devil is prevented from taking away this joy from us because he is also ‘the spiritual force of evil in the heavenly places’ (Eph 6:12). All his attempts are aimed at making the Holy Spirit in us inactive. It is this Spirit that helps us to call God our Father. He makes Christmas a commercial festival with colourful Santa Clauses, cribs, stars, cakes, and dinners. When Francis of Assissi took the infant Jesus from the first ever crib, it transformed into a live infant. Satan’s goal is to deny us this blessing, the gift of meeting Jesus live in the crib.
The meaning of Jesus’ name is one who delivers from sin. Christians might forget it, but not the devil. Our God is a god who wants to dwell with us and be called Immanuel. We might forget it, but not the devil. Christmas being the celebration and remembrance of these two great miracles, it is no wonder that the devil hates any person who celebrates Christmas in its true spirit. But he is also afraid of such believers. The message of Christmas is peace and it is offered to such believers. May we enjoy the peace of Lord Jesus Christ and may our enemy flee from us.
Wishing all our readers a very blessed Christmas,
Team V- Catholic.
