12/07/2025
NOEL
The Glorious Mystery of Christmas
Noel has its roots in the French word “Noël,” which literally means “Christmas.” It is derived from a word which is “naël”, an old French form of “natalis” (Latin), meaning “birth” — specifically referring to the birth of Christ.
Noel means the birth of Christ. It is the first Christmas. Noel is more than a seasonal greeting — it declares the miracle of God becoming man. It reminds us that through Christ’s birth, light entered our darkness and hope was born.
It is a 'Mystery' because it is something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain. How can The Almighty became a child? How can the Infinite became finite? How can the Creator have entered creation? How can the Creator of the universe be wrapped in swaddling clothes? How can the eternal One be born in time? How can divinity and humanity coexist in one person?
God shows us that 'Noel' is the Mystery of Incarnation, it is the Mystery of Divine Love, it is the Mystery of Humility, it is the Mystery of Hope, Joy and Peace.
And this 'Noel' is the 'Glorious' Mystery of Christmas because it reveals the invisible God in visible love, hope, and humility, yet remains mysterious because its depth and significance cannot be fully comprehended by human mind.
It is a Glorious Mystery because of how hope breaks through even in the darkest night — that Emmanuel (“God with us”) means we are never alone. His Glorious Presence came to be with us - to give us salvation and hope in this life and eternity.
John 1:1-4 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”
John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
And this Glorious Mystery that became the Good News has been revealed to us through Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:26-27 – “the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among (us) the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
“So let us rejoice and be glad and celebrate Jesus. Let us come and adore Him. Let us bow down and worship Him. Let us give Him praise and exalt His Name, for His love endures forever and ever and ever and ever.”
-PE
NOEL ... The Glorious Mystery of Christmas
a CITAC Christmas Celebration 2025
