The people of Gozo will tonight join the Christian world to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Shining tinsel and showy baubles, stuffed Father Christmases and the sound of piped carols - wherever you are in the world, there is no getting away from Christmas. People celebrate this memorable day in various ways, depending on the significance they give it.

It is undeniable that even in the Christian world, many celebrate the day in a manner that is foreign and even contradictory to the spirit of Christmas. Were we to reflect seriously on the underlying purpose of Christmas, we would be surprised to learn that it involves some tremendous facts of everlasting significance.

The importance of this event is explained in a nutshell by St Paul as early as 50 AD in his great epistle to the Christians of North Galatia: "When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law and to enable us to be adopted" (Gal. 4, 4-6).

This statement sets forth three basic truths dealing with this most significant subject: incarnation, redemption, and adoption.

The first is the incarnation, the birth of the Saviour to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is one of the most staggering mysteries of all time - Jesus, the Son of God, took upon Him the human form. This should indeed make us pause for reflection. The event shows how great, deep, and immeasurable is God's love to consent to dwell in human flesh.

God, in times past, before the coming of Christ, revealed Himself to holy men by inspiring their thoughts to record something of His greatness. Righteousness, mercy, justice, and redemption were some of the beautiful attributes of God. "When the appointed time came", He reached down to man, by being born as the rest of us, having human nature and flesh.

The purpose of His coming into the world was first of all Redemption. Christ's coming into the world was not accidental but rather purposeful. The angel had announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary: "You shall call Him Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." He himself declared that his mission was "to seek and to save that which was lost." God's redeeming love was at the very heart of His coming. This is why we call the story of Christ's life - the Gospel, that is - the good news.

God's most tender love revealed itself in such a marvellous way to save humanity. Before Christ's coming to human life, the world of human beings knew God as a terrible judge. After birth, he becomes God whose love knows no limitations to redeem fallen humanity.

Then, there was another purpose: adoption. Jesus wanted to adopt believers into the family of God, making them His own sons and daughters. All human beings who would be willing to appropriate and appreciate the gift of God, and by faith receive Him into their lives, would become, by virtue of that fact, members of God's family, having special attachments and privileges, inducted into the society of the Blessed, belonging to one Father, becoming one with the Elder Brother, and one with all believers of all colours, races, and nationalities the world over.

Superb food for thought that, admittedly, is not easy to digest. No wonder, for looking back at the time of Christ's birth, it transpires that even then, few people understood the great significance of the Jesus's birth.

None imagined that history would be divided into two, changed from before Christ to after Christ. No one thought that the events transpiring on that Holy Night would be enshrined in music and art; that millions of cards would be used by people as a means to wish one another a Merry Christmas on his birthday; that ministers, the world over, would preach and teach the story of the holy birth. No one knew that thousands of choirs and millions of people around the world would chant his praises and sing joyous hymns to commemorate the great event.

This is what many Gozitans will be doing in the processions with Baby Jesus that wend their way along the main streets of Victoria and several villages late this evening and in all the churches during the vigil tonight. We Christians should never stop taking stock and realising the potentialities invested in the Child born that night.

A happy Christmas to all readers of the 'Gozo Newsletter'!