Christmas reveals a love that does not stop at tenderness or sentimentality. God’s gift is not merely a beautiful baby in a crib, but His very self: a love that empties itself completely, even unto the cross.

St Stephen understood this deeply. For him, welcoming Christ meant embracing the whole Christ—His life, His teaching, His passion, and His resurrection. That is why Stephen’s faith was lived out in service to the poor, courage in witness, and love even for his persecutors. As he was being put to death, he prayed for those who harmed him, just as Jesus did on the cross.

Christmas is an invitation to let Christ be born in us, through lives poured out in love, quietly, steadily, and faithfully.

Reflection Question: Where do I sense God calling me to love more deeply, forgive more freely, or give more of myself, even when it costs?