"There are two births of Christ, one unto the world in Bethlehem; the other in the soul, when it is spiritually reborn. Men think of the former much more than the later, and celebrate it every year; but the spiritual Bethlehem is equally momentous...It was the second birth that Saint Paul insisted on when he wrote from prison to his beloved people, the Ephesians, asking that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith and that they be rooted and grounded in love. This is the second Bethlehem, or the personal relationship of the individual heart to the Lord Christ." (Venerable Fulton Sheen)

During this Advent season as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Our Savior, we are reminded that because of his birth, death and resurrection we have been given the grace to be reborn as a child of God. Without his birth, our rebirth would not have been possible. In honoring his birth  with gratitude, we are also honoring our rebirth with heartfelt thanks. We honor his birth by sharing gifts with one another. The gift that means most to God is our love for one another for his sake. The gifts we exchange at Christmas are important. But what is of greater importance is the love we express to others in our daily encounters with them. This is the gift we give to Jesus in thanksgiving for his birth and our rebirth in the waters of salvation.