“I got God for Christmas”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
December 25, 2025
Gospel: John 1:1-18
Last week, I had to call 911 for a lady who thought she had been bitten by a snake. That was a lot of fun. But it was not the first time – I have called 911 several times for other people. I hope you never have to call 911, because when you do, you are upset, anxious, excited, and all wrapped up in the situation. When you call 911, the operators are very good, and they get all of your information. After you hang up the phone, you wait, and you wait, and you wait. Soon, you begin to wonder why they aren’t there already. As the crow flies, the EMTs are only two miles away. Less than three miles away, there are five fire stations: three regular and two volunteer. Also, less than a mile away, there are two cop shops: sheriff and police. After you call, you begin tapping your fingers and wondering when they will arrive. After what seems like an eternity, you hear sirens in the distance. So, you know they are on their way. They are coming, and they are coming, and they are coming, very slowly, but they are coming. “This is an emergency! Someone is hurt. I need help!” However, the police and rescue squads are constrained by the speeds at which they can drive in the city. That’s the theory, but I have seen sheriff deputies and EMTs whizz by the church. When I see an ambulance scream by on the way to the hospital, I know someone is in really bad shape. When the police, fire department, EMTs, or rescue personnel finally arrive, the healing can begin. They take charge and assure you that they will do everything they can to improve the situation. They work their magic, and your anxiety level lessens.
The same is true about our salvation and redemption. When our first parents hurt themselves and us badly by Original Sin, we needed help. But amazingly, we did not call 911 or GOD. God did that Himself because the offense was so grave that we alone couldn’t make amends. It was a divine offense. In the garden, we walked with God and talked to God. Then we gave God the shaft because we wanted to do what we wanted. But God loves us so much that He didn’t want us to wander away from Him. He said, “I will send you a savior” to remedy the divine offense. This divine offense could be fixed by only one Person – His divine Son, the 2nd Person in the Blessed Trinity. He came to be our Savior. On this day, we commemorate His appearance in the world made visible in the form of human flesh that He took from the Blessed Mother.
When you look at the manger scene, which was originally created by Saint Francis of Assisi, you can foretell the future. Our Lord came to be our Savior and to be sacrificed as atonement for our sins. The wood of the manger became the wood of the Cross 33 years later. The hay He laid on was food for the animals and became our food in the Holy Eucharist. There’s enough just on that for two sermons, but we don’t have the time. He came as our Savior, and that’s what we rejoice in. Today, as we celebrate His coming, our healing has begun. The straying from God is over. God has come to heal the damage in our souls due to sin, to remove the cancer, and to help us live so that we can go to where we were created to be, which is Heaven. He came to heal us and to reconcile us to God. That is the beauty of this day and the great joy we should have.
Who do you see around the Christ Child? You see Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. The wise men wouldn’t come until much later. But wouldn’t you love to have been there at the beginning of the First Century? Well, you don’t have to be envious. Know why? Because you have Him right there in the Tabernacle, although not under the appearance of human flesh, but of the Host. You have Him right here at Mass. What is our Savior’s greatest gift to us? His greatest gift to us is Himself. He offers Himself to us in the Sacraments, which is the greatest gift at Christmas. If you ask, “What did you get for Christmas?” My answer is, “I got God.”
How will you apply this message to your life? _________________________________________
You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.” On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.” Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.” Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church. Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”
