But what does the Gospel say:
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth."
That means, that the only begotten Son of God, who was with God and who was Himself God, has descended and taken up his abode among us—-not only among the children! No, indeed, also among grown-up and experienced men and women who must shoulder the burdens and heat of the day.
The Christmas message is the message that tells us that Jesus Christ, with Heavenly power and with Heavenly love, has taken up his abode among all working, struggling and suffering people upon earth—not like a haughty, indifferent onlooker at your work, your exertions, your struggle as we might imagine the son of the big manufacturer going into the shop looking at the toiling, perspiring workers with haughty, indifferent scorn and with a shrug of the shoulder.
No, Jesus Christ entered the life of mankind as a benevolent and powerful participant in it, so that you, when you look at your work and wonder whether you will be able to finish it—at your suffering and wonder whether you can keep on suffering—never shall reckon with your own strength alone, but must include Jesus therein. He has gone into your suffering, has taken up your fight and your work for the purpose of suffering, fighting and working with you and becoming your Saviour.
Therefore, He says: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." That means: All you men and women who labor and are heavy laden.
But when I can grasp a little of this, then I enjoy Christmas—not because of the memory of vanished days, but because of the understanding of the fact that Christmas is meant just for me who have experienced how much there is to labor for, to fight against, and to be saved from, and how sorely I stand in need of a heavenly support of strength and love, in my daily work and in my daily struggles.
Therefore, I now say: Christmas is meant for all us grown-up men and women who take life seriously and who know what are its conditions. We cannot dispense with Christmas, at all. We offer God our praise and our gratitude for Christmas, and we do so with the joy of understanding.
6. The Faith of a Little Child