Catechism
Christmas Meditation
There is no better way to ponder the meaning of Christmas than to meditate on the gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke. Although we usually mix the two accounts together, they are actually distinct.
Meditation: Why did the Word Become Flesh?
The Word became flesh to save us from sin and reconcile us to God. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life" (John 3:16).
By the Incarnation we are made aware of the depth of God's love for us. "In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him" (1 John 4:9).
When the Son of God became man he became a model of holiness for us. "This is my commandment: love one another as I love you" (John 15:12)
God became man that we may partake in the divine nature. "He has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4).
(Taken from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pp. 86-87, ©2006, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC)
