Your Savior Has Been Born For You

By Fr. Christopher Foeckler, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

“Do not be afraid!
I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people,
For today in the city of David
Your Savior has been born for you
Who is Christ and Lord!”
-Lk 2:10-11

These glad tidings to the trembling shepherds began a wave of joy that covered the entire world. The high-water mark of its ebb and flow is every year on December 25th – the celebration of Christmas – the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.

The angel’s good news of great joy is that a “Savior” has been born for us. The darkness and the danger of our times and our lives frightens us, but the angel tells us not to be afraid and the announcement of our Savior’s coming fills us with joy! He has come to save us, to rescue us from evil and death, and even from ourselves and our weaknesses; the darkness is dispelled, and even death loses its sting. We want and we need a Savior! That He has been born for us gives us great joy.

“Savior” embodies in its meaning the fact that Jesus, the “Christ and Lord”, is more than a man, even more than a great man.

Jesus is a teacher of good morals, but much more than a teacher. The Lord is indeed a prophet, yet more than a prophet. Jesus is a priest, yet again more than a priest. Jesus is also a King, but not only a king! For there have been many teachers, prophets, priests, and kings before and after the birth of Jesus, but none have ever been the eternal Son of God, True God and True Man.

Only by being True God and True Man can Jesus be the Savior of all mankind!

Witnessing the manner of His death on the cross, the act by which, more than any other, Jesus became our “Savior”, the Roman Centurion exclaimed, “Truly, this is the Son of God!”

So do not be afraid. Your Savior – the Son of God and Son of Mary – has been born for you in Bethlehem!

May the Joy of our Savior’s birth fill each of your hearts and those of all your loved ones with peace this Christmas season, and continue to reassure you throughout the coming New Year of 2022!

Merry Christmas!