Today, on December 24th, the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Adam and Eve. Beyond being recognized as the first man and woman, many Catholics may not be aware that Adam and Eve are also considered saints in the Catholic Church. After the original sin, it is believed that both Adam and Eve lived their entire lives without committing any further transgressions. Their 900-year journey was one of both joy and but also deep sorrow, witnessing the consequences of the fall.
The celebration of Christmas, the nativity of Christ, coincides with the ancient Roman feast Dies Natalis Solis Invicti ('birthday of the Invincible Sun'). This feast marked the transition to the winter solstice, the day when daylight begins to lengthen, and nights shorten. There is a poignant beauty in this coincidence, and a profound wisdom, in the decision of the Church to place the feast Adam and Eve the day before Christmas. From the shadows brought by the sin of Adam, we transition with Jesus into the light. Christ is our Sun — the source of light in our lives, the origin of all that is good. He is the new Adam, God's solution to the shadows cast by the original sin and our own frailties and sins.
As we approach the remaining hours before Christmas, let us reflect on Adam and Eve, the original sin, and our own shortcomings. May we prepare our hearts to welcome Jesus, the only one who can save us. Let's pray that this Christmas transforms us and our loved ones profoundly, enabling us to humbly accept God’s will and consistently seek communion with him.
Let us not forget also to express gratitude to God the Father for sending us His Son, to the Blessed Virgin Mary for graciously accepting God's will and becoming the tabernacle of our Lord, and to Saint Joseph for courageously and lovingly protecting both Mary and Jesus.