DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS of the Advent grinches amongst us, it would appear that Christmas is almost here. All Saints’ Day was the Christmas sales season kick-off for numerous institutions. Since Remembrance Day minivan-sized snow globes have been available at a certain tire store in Canada. By the fifth of December you could begin humming along to Bing Crosby at fast-food restaurants.

It is important to remember the fact of the Incarnation--God becoming Man--but we must also remember the purpose of the Incarnation. That is why we must keep the Eucharist central, because when we celebrate Holy Communion, we remember that the Christ Child was born as the all-sufficient, once for all, sacrifice for our sins. God has found a means to satisfy our sin debt and reconcile us to himself: one sacrifice, made once by Christ Jesus on the cross, effective for all time.

For the sins of the world committed before the crucifixion God provided regular sacrifices which were offered by the priests of Israel. These atoning blood offerings of lambs and goats were made effective through the self-offering of Jesus’ blood. And his sacrifice is sufficient for us today. This is why it is so important to keep the celebration of Holy Communion central to our Christmas celebration.

In it we recognise that the purpose of Jesus’ birth was that his death on the cross would atone for our sin as well--once for all.  When we celebrate Christmas, it is because “unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). And this is what we celebrate in the Eucharist when we hear the comfortable words:

When we recite Christ’s words of promise through the Prayer of Consecration, we receive the promise of Christ’s death on the cross:

And this forgiveness was only made possible through God becoming flesh in the Child of Bethlehem. The atoning sacrifice, the reconciling of man to God, is what Christmas is all about, and we remember that best through the service of Holy Communion.

This year as you prepare for Christmas, take the season of Advent to meditate upon this sacrifice of Christ. Take a Prayer Book home with you and spend some time each day meditating on the service. Read those exhortations that we rarely hear anymore which are printed at the end of the service (BCP 88-92). Spend time dwelling on each portion of the liturgy. Allow it to form your heart so that when you do come to the Eucharist this Christmas, it won’t be just an add-on to an already busy day bursting with countless activities. This is the one essential activity of worship and adoration around which all the other delights of the day revolve.