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Theology sometimes gets a bad wrap for being impractical or abstract. Well, today, theology becomes the most practical thing in the world. This is what we celebrate during Christmas, is that the study of God from afar and through second-hand information becomes the study of God through the physical. There was a time on this earth that people could see, hear, touch, smell, and interact with God.

Now, this may seem abstract to us because the physical birth of Jesus happened so long ago. We can easily forget that it was a historical birth, that God literally became one of us, walked with us, talked with us, ate and drank with us. We can’t let the fact that Jesus was born a long time ago distract from the depth and meaning. The reality is that the moment he was born, life changed forever. As St. John Paul II once said, “By the fact that the word of God became flesh, the body entered theology through the main door.”

See, at the fall, we lost the grace given to us freely by God. As time has gone on, we have forgotten more and more who we can be because our fallen nature gets in the way. Today, Jesus enters our very nature to elevate it and bring it back to how we were meant to be. He steps in and brings grace back to the world that we lost.

This day we celebrate the birthday of all birthdays — the birth that made theology not just food for thought, but real food. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Today, this holy Christmas day, let’s contemplate what Jesus has done for us, stepping into our nature to once again make us whole.

From all of us here at Diocesan, Merry Christmas, and God Bless!

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Tommy Shultz is a Solutions Evangelist for Diocesan. In that role, he is committed to coaching parishes and dioceses on authentic and effective Catholic communication. Tommy has a heart and a flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. His mission and drive have been especially inspired by St. John Paul II’s teachings. Tommy is blessed to be able to learn from the numerous parishes he visits and pass that experience on in his presentations. Contact him at tshultz@diocesan.com.