The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Mass at Dawn
Mass at Dawn
Lectionary: 15
See, the LORD
proclaims
to the ends of the earth:
say to daughter Zion,
your savior comes!
Here is his reward with him,
his recompense before him.
They shall be called the holy people,
the redeemed of the LORD,
and you shall be called “Frequented,”
a city that is not forsaken.
to the ends of the earth:
say to daughter Zion,
your savior comes!
Here is his reward with him,
his recompense before him.
They shall be called the holy people,
the redeemed of the LORD,
and you shall be called “Frequented,”
a city that is not forsaken.
Responsorial Psalm PS 97:1, 6, 11-12
R/ A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is
born for us.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R/ A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R/ A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R/ A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R/ A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.
Reading 2TI 3:4-7
Beloved:
When the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
When the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
AlleluiaLK 2:14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to those
on whom his favor rests.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to those
on whom his favor rests.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 2:15-20
When the angels
went away from them to heaven,
the shepherds said to one another,
“Let us go, then, to Bethlehem
to see this thing that has taken place,
which the Lord has made known to us.”
So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.
the shepherds said to one another,
“Let us go, then, to Bethlehem
to see this thing that has taken place,
which the Lord has made known to us.”
So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.
Meditation: The shepherds glorified God for all they had seen
Have you read the news
today - the "good news" of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and son of
Mary who was born for us and for our salvation. The word gospel literally
means good news! Jesus' birth in Bethlehem fulfilled the prophecy
that the Messiah would descend from David and be born in David's city,
Bethlehem (Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1-2; Micah 5:2-4).
The first to hear the
good news of the savior's birth were not the rulers and religious leaders of
Israel who were robed in riches and power. The angels first came to those
who were humble and ready to receive the newborn king who was born in poverty
and was now lying in a manger made for animals. Just as God had chosen and
anointed David, a lowly shepherd of Bethlehem to become the shepherd king of
Israel, so Jesus, likewise chose the path of humility and lowliness in coming
to Israel as the good shepherd king who would lay down his life for their sake
and salvation. After the angels had sung their hymn of glory in the presence of
the shepherds, the shepherds made haste to adore the newborn king and sing
their hymn of glory as well.
Many of the early
church fathers have written hymns and homilies in praise of the Incarnation.
John the Monk, an 8th century writer, in his Hymn of the Nativity,
sings of the great exchange in the mystery and wonder of the Incarnation - God
becoming man in order to bring man to heaven:
Heaven and earth
are united today, for Christ is born! Today God has come upon earth, and
humankind gone up to heaven. Today, for the sake of humankind, the invisible
one is seen in the flesh. Therefore let us glorify him and cry aloud: glory to
God in the highest, and on earth peace bestowed by your coming, Savior: glory
to you! Today in Bethlehem, I hear the angels: glory to God in the highest!
Glory to him whose good pleasure it was that there be peace on earth! The
Virgin is now more spacious than the heavens. Light has shone on those in
darkness, exalting the lowly who sing like the angels: Glory to God in the
highest! Beholding him [Adam] who was in God’s image and likeness fallen
through transgression, Jesus bowed the heavens and came down, without change
taking up his dwelling in a virgin womb, that he might refashion Adam fallen in
corruption, and crying out: glory to your epiphany, my Savior and my God! [Stichera (hymn) of the Nativity of the Lord]
Why was it necessary
for the Word of God to become flesh? We needed a savior who could reconcile us
with God. Throughout the ages Christians have professed the ancient Nicene
Creed: "He became man for our sake and for the sake of our
salvation." The eternal Word became flesh for us so he could offer his life
as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world through the shedding of his
blood on the cross. The Word became flesh to show us the infinite love and
tender mercy of God for us sinners.
In the feast of Christmas we celebrate present realities - Jesus Christ our redeemer who reigns in heaven and who also lives and reigns in our hearts through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit. And we commemorate past events - the birth of the newborn Messiah King and his manifestation to Israel and to the gentile nations. We thank and bless God for the way in which he has saved us from the power of sin and the curse of death and destruction by sending his son to ransom us and give us pardon and abundant life through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit. Today we celebrate the birthday of our King and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the feast of Christmas we celebrate present realities - Jesus Christ our redeemer who reigns in heaven and who also lives and reigns in our hearts through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit. And we commemorate past events - the birth of the newborn Messiah King and his manifestation to Israel and to the gentile nations. We thank and bless God for the way in which he has saved us from the power of sin and the curse of death and destruction by sending his son to ransom us and give us pardon and abundant life through the gift and working of the Holy Spirit. Today we celebrate the birthday of our King and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
God wants to fill our
hearts anew with joy and gratitude for the greatest gift he could possibly give
us - his beloved Son Jesus. What can we give thanks for in this great feast of
the Incarnation? We can praise and thank God our Father for the fact that the
Son of God freely and joyfully assumed a human nature in order to accomplish
our salvation in it. Jesus came to release the captives from slavery to sin and
to open the gates of paradise once again. This day the Holy Spirit invites us
to make haste - as the shepherds of Bethlehem did - to adore Jesus our King and
Messiah. The Lord Jesus Christ is our eternal good shepherd who guides
and cares for us unceasingly and who gives us abundant everlasting life and
union with the triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This day the whole
community of heaven joins with all believers of good will on earth in a
jubilant song of praise for the good news proclaimed by the angels on Christmas
eve: Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to
all the people, for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who
is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11).
The joy of Christmas
is not for a day or a season. It is an eternal joy, a joy that no one can take
from us because it is the joy of Jesus Christ himself made present in our
hearts through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (see Romans 5:2-5). The
Lord gives us a supernatural joy which no pain nor sorrow can diminish, and
which neither life nor death can take away. Do you know the joy of your
salvation in Jesus Christ?
"Lord our God,
with the birth of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, your glory breaks on the
world. As we celebrate his first coming, give us a foretaste of the joy that
you will grant us when the fulness of his glory has filled the earth."
The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Mass During the Day
Mass During the Day
Lectionary: 16
Reading 1IS 52:7-10
How beautiful upon
the mountains
are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,
announcing peace, bearing good news,
announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,
“Your God is King!”
Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry,
together they shout for joy,
for they see directly, before their eyes,
the LORD restoring Zion.
Break out together in song,
O ruins of Jerusalem!
For the LORD comforts his people,
he redeems Jerusalem.
The LORD has bared his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;
all the ends of the earth will behold
the salvation of our God.
are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,
announcing peace, bearing good news,
announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,
“Your God is King!”
Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry,
together they shout for joy,
for they see directly, before their eyes,
the LORD restoring Zion.
Break out together in song,
O ruins of Jerusalem!
For the LORD comforts his people,
he redeems Jerusalem.
The LORD has bared his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;
all the ends of the earth will behold
the salvation of our God.
Responsorial Psalm PS 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6
R/ (3c) All the ends of the earth have seen the saving
power of God.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Reading 2HEB 1:1-6
Brothers and
sisters:
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways
to our ancestors through the prophets;
in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son,
whom he made heir of all things
and through whom he created the universe,
who is the refulgence of his glory,
the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say:
You are my son; this day I have begotten you?
Or again:
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me?
And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says:
Let all the angels of God worship him.
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways
to our ancestors through the prophets;
in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son,
whom he made heir of all things
and through whom he created the universe,
who is the refulgence of his glory,
the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say:
You are my son; this day I have begotten you?
Or again:
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me?
And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says:
Let all the angels of God worship him.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.
For today a great light has come upon the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.
For today a great light has come upon the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel JN 1:1-18
In the beginning
was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed him.
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed him.
In the beginning
was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.
Meditation: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us"
Why does John the
Evangelist begin his gospel with a description of the Word of God which began
the creation of the universe and humankind in the first book of Genesis? The
“word of God” was a common expression among the Jews. God’s word in the Old
Testament is an active, creative, and dynamic word. “By the word of the Lord
the heavens were made” (Psalm 33:6). “He sends forth his commands to the earth;
his word runs swiftly” (Psalm 147:15). “Is not my word like fire, says the Lord,
and like a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces” (Jeremiah 23:29)? The writer
of the Book of Wisdom addresses God as the one who “made all things by your
word” (Wisdom 9:1). God’s word is also equated with his wisdom. “The Lord by
wisdom founded the earth” (Proverbs 3:19).The Book of Wisdom describes “wisdom”
as God’s eternal, creative, and illuminating power. Both “word” and “wisdom”
are seen as one and the same. “For while gentle silence enveloped all things,
and night in its swift course was now half gone, your all-powerful word leaped
from heaven, from the royal throne, into the midst of the land that was doomed,
a stern warrior carrying the sharp sword of your authentic command” (Book of
Wisdom 18:14-16).
John describes Jesus
as God’s creative, life-giving and light-giving word that has come to earth in
human form. “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever
believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Jesus is
the wisdom and power of God which created the world and sustains it who assumed
a human nature in order to accomplish our salvation in it. Jesus became truly
man while remaining truly God. “What he was, he remained, and what he was not
he assumed” (from an early church antiphon for morning prayer). Jesus Christ is
truly the Son of God who, without ceasing to be God and Lord, became a man and
our brother. From the time of the Apostles the Christian faith has insisted on
the incarnation of God’s Son “who has come in the flesh” (1 John 4:2)
.
Gregory of Nyssa, one of the great early church fathers (330-395 AD) wrote: Sick, our nature demanded to be healed; fallen, to be raised up; dead, to rise again. We had lost the possession of the good; it was necessary for it to be given back to us. Closed in darkness, it was necessary to bring us the light; captives, we awaited a Savior; prisoners, help; slaves, a liberator. Are these things minor or insignificant? Did they not move God to descend to human nature and visit it, since humanity was in so miserable and unhappy a state?
.
Gregory of Nyssa, one of the great early church fathers (330-395 AD) wrote: Sick, our nature demanded to be healed; fallen, to be raised up; dead, to rise again. We had lost the possession of the good; it was necessary for it to be given back to us. Closed in darkness, it was necessary to bring us the light; captives, we awaited a Savior; prisoners, help; slaves, a liberator. Are these things minor or insignificant? Did they not move God to descend to human nature and visit it, since humanity was in so miserable and unhappy a state?
Christians never cease
proclaiming anew the wonder of the Incarnation. The Son of God assumed
a human nature in order to accomplish our salvation in it. The Son of God
...worked with human hands; he thought with a human mind. He acted with a human
will, and with a human heart he loved. Born of the Virgin Mary, he has
truly been made one of us, like to us in all things except sin (Gaudium
et Spes).
If we are going to
behold the glory of God we will do it through Jesus Christ. Jesus became the
partaker of our humanity so we could be partakers of his divinity (2 Peter
1:4). God's purpose for us, even from the beginning of his creation, is that we
would be fully united with Him. When Jesus comes God is made known as the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. By our being united in Jesus, God becomes
our Father and we become his sons and daughters. Do you thank the Father for
sending his only begotten Son to redeem you and to share with you his glory?
"Almighty God and
Father of light, your eternal Word leaped down from heaven in the silent
watches of the night. Open our hearts to receive his life and increase our
vision with the rising of dawn, that our lives may be filled with his glory and
his peace.”
 Flesh, Glory, Grace |
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December 25,
2014. The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
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John 1:1-18
In the beginning was
the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the
beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him
nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was
the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the
darkness has not overcome it. A man named John was sent from God. He came for
testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He
was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which
enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the
world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what
was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did
accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in
his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by
a man´s decision but of God. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling
among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father´s only Son, full
of grace and truth. John testified to him and cried out, saying, "This
is he of whom I said, ´The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.´" From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace
and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only Son,
God, who is at the Father´s side, has revealed him.
Introductory
Prayer: Lord, thank you for this
Christmas day. I believe that you became a little child to redeem me and show
me the Father’s love. I love you. Your birth shows the depth of your love for
me. I choose to recommit myself today to be a Christian in love with you.
Petition: Lord, help me to grow in wonder at your love.
1. Flesh: “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among
us.” For most families, Christmas is a day of special closeness. We take time
to be with each other. We also know that God is close. He is that “someone”
who unites us in love. Today, in astonished silence, we contemplate the
Christ Child. Amid all the excitement and emotion of our Christmas day we
cannot help but stop in amazement: My God lets me put my arms around him.
Here is an amazing mystery of closeness. Here is where all human closeness
finds its greatest expression. It is God’s initiative. He became flesh. He
lives among us. Do I let myself draw close to Christ? Do I allow him to love
me? Do I allow myself to love him?
2. Glory: “And we saw his glory.” For John, the glory of God that
shines in the face of Christ is the glory of love. Jesus glories in being
able to love — in being able to love us. What an amazing God we have! He
defies our reason. His Christmas glory lies in making himself so humble that
he becomes a tiny child dependent on our love. His glory will later consist
in embracing his cross and dying out of love for us. Do I appreciate this
glorious love? Am I ready to enter into its mystery? Am I ready to make my
heart today shine with this glory of God’s love?
3. Grace: “…Full of grace and truth.” The grace spoken of here is
the Father’s loving glance. Jesus brings the Father’s loving glance to our
world and to our lives. He transforms our world into the very place where the
Father finds his Son. The Father is pleased; Christ lives among us. This is
the grace that is Christ: God’s initiative of love. Grace is a gift. It does
not depend on me. I simply have to accept and receive it. I simply have to
appreciate it, as John did. Do I appreciate Christ? Do I try to make my life
a gift like his was?
Conversation with
Christ: Jesus, thank you for this
Christmas day. I know it may be busy, but I also know it is very beautiful.
It is beautiful because you are here, Lord. Thank you for being here this
Christmas day. I want to love you as Mary did. I want to bring your grace and
glory to those around me.
Resolution: Today I will strive to show special joy and goodness in
my relations with others, especially with my family. I will look for an extra
way to make each of them happy today.
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SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD
(CHRISTMAS)
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, JOHN 1:1-18
Holy Day of Obligation
(Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-6)
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, JOHN 1:1-18
Holy Day of Obligation
(Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-6)
KEY VERSE: "It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known" (v 18).
READING: John did not record the nativity of our Lord in his gospel. Instead, he began with a mystical hymn to Christ (compare Colossians 1:15-20; Philippians 2:6-11; and 1 Timothy 3:16, an early creed). John takes us back to the "beginning" (Gn 1:1), to the preexistent Christ, the eternal Word (Greek,Logos). The Word of God was expressed in the creation of the universe, in divine wisdom, in the law revealed on Sinai, and in the word spoken through the prophets. Now God's Word was manifested in the Incarnation of Christ. In his flesh, Jesus embodied and revealed God's Word; he was divine wisdom personified. Through Christ's creative word all things were brought to life (Jn 1:3). He was the great liberator, like Moses, who set men and women free from the restraints of sin (8:32). He was the divine "light" that cast out darkness by the light of truth (12:46). John the Baptist was the herald of God's Word. He came to testify to its truth so that all who believed in Christ might find life through him. Jesus came into our world so that we can come into his world.
REFLECTING: How can I share the gift of Jesus on this Christmas day?
PRAYING: Thank you Heavenly Father for revealing your Word through your Son, Jesus.
NOTE: The Octave of Christmas lasts for eight days (octave means eight), beginning with Christmas day and ending with the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1).
Thursday 25 December 2014
Birth of our Lord. Dawn
Mass.
Isaiah 62:11-12. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us—Ps 96(97):1, 6, 11-12. Titus 3:4-7. Luke 2:15‑20.
Isaiah 62:11-12. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us—Ps 96(97):1, 6, 11-12. Titus 3:4-7. Luke 2:15‑20.
All were astonished.
How amazing God is. God
comes to us as one of us, first as a baby, and finally as a crucified criminal.
A woman gave birth to the Son of God, human parents nurtured him to adulthood,
and human beings killed him. Yet despite this vulnerability—indeed because of
it—he conquers all and wins all to him.
Lord, we pray that you will
save us by giving us vulnerable hearts, not hardened hearts of stone. Help us
to feel with passion: joy at the sight of new-born babies; anger at the sight
of injustice and poverty; gratitude for the gift of family and friends; love
for your people. Do not shield us from the pain of the world: let us feel it,
so that we may overcome it.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Christ is Born
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Christmas is an opportunity for us to rejoice in the Word becoming
flesh, to savor this wonderful mystery with all our senses, so that in turn we
can go out and be seen and heard and touched and scented and tasted as the
living Christ this Christmastime and each day of the new year.
December
25
Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord
Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord
On this day the Church focuses especially on the newborn Child,
God become human, who embodies for us all the hope and peace we seek. We need
no other special saint today to lead us to Christ in the manger, although his
mother Mary and Joseph, caring for his foster-Son, help round out the scene.
But if we
were to select a patron for today, perhaps it might be appropriate for us to
imagine an anonymous shepherd, summoned to the birthplace by a wondrous and
even disturbing vision in the night, a summons from an angelic choir, promising
peace and goodwill. A shepherd willing to seek out something that might just be
too unbelievable to chase after, and yet compelling enough to leave behind the
flocks in the field and search for a mystery.
On the
day of the Lord’s birth, let’s let an unnamed, “un-celebrity” at the edge of
the crowd model for us the way to discover Christ in our own hearts—somewhere
between skepticism and wonder, between mystery and faith. And, like Mary and
the shepherds, let us treasure that discovery in our hearts.
Comment:
The precise dating in this passage sounds like a textbook on creationism. If we focus on the time frame, however, we miss the point. It lays out the story of a love affair: creation, the deliveranceof the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, the rise of Israel under David. It climaxes with the birth of Jesus. From the beginning, some scholars insist, God intended to enter the world as one of us, the beloved people. Praise God!
The precise dating in this passage sounds like a textbook on creationism. If we focus on the time frame, however, we miss the point. It lays out the story of a love affair: creation, the deliveranceof the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, the rise of Israel under David. It climaxes with the birth of Jesus. From the beginning, some scholars insist, God intended to enter the world as one of us, the beloved people. Praise God!
LECTIO DIVINA:
THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD (B)
Lectio:
Thursday, December 25, 2014
The Birth of Jesus
Luke 2:1-20
Luke 2:1-20
1. Opening prayer
Spirit of truth, sent by Jesus to guide us to the whole truth, enlighten our minds so that we may understand the Scriptures. You who overshadowed Mary and made her fruitful ground where the Word of God could germinate, purify our hearts from all obstacles to the Word. Help us to learn like her to listen with good and pure hearts to the Word that God speaks to us in life and in Scripture, so that we may observe the Word and produce good fruit through our perseverance.
Spirit of truth, sent by Jesus to guide us to the whole truth, enlighten our minds so that we may understand the Scriptures. You who overshadowed Mary and made her fruitful ground where the Word of God could germinate, purify our hearts from all obstacles to the Word. Help us to learn like her to listen with good and pure hearts to the Word that God speaks to us in life and in Scripture, so that we may observe the Word and produce good fruit through our perseverance.
2. Reading
a) The context:
The Gospel passage presented to us today is part of the so-called childhood Gospel of Luke and covers the first two chapters of the third Gospel. It is a gospelof childhood. Therefore, the main focus of the author is not one of information, of giving us historical details of the birth of Jesus, rather of announcing the Good News of the birth of the promised Messiah. The child Jesus is already seen as the Lord as proclaimed in the apostolic preaching.
Like the first two chapters of the Acts of the Apostles are about the transition from the time of Jesus to the time of the Church, so also the first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke are about the transition from the Old to the New Testament. There are constant quotations and allusions to the Old Testament. The people, such as Zachary and Elisabeth, Simeon and Anna, Joseph and especially Mary, represent the spirituality of the poor of the Lord that characterise the final period of the Old Testament. All, and particularly Mary, rejoice at the coming of the salvation they had so longed for.
Luke divides his childhood Gospel into seven scenes: the proclamation of John the Baptist’s birth (1:5-25), the proclamation of Jesus’ birth (1:26-38), Mary’s visit to Elisabeth (1:39-56), the birth of John the Baptist (1:57-80), the birth of Jesus (2:1-21), the presentation of Jesus at the temple (2:22-40), and Jesus among the doctors in the temple (2:41-52). Many scholars believe that Luke meant to draw a parallel between Jesus and John the Baptist in order to show Jesus’ superiority over John, the last of the prophets. With the birth of Jesus begin the new times towards which the Old Testament yearned.
The Gospel passage presented to us today is part of the so-called childhood Gospel of Luke and covers the first two chapters of the third Gospel. It is a gospelof childhood. Therefore, the main focus of the author is not one of information, of giving us historical details of the birth of Jesus, rather of announcing the Good News of the birth of the promised Messiah. The child Jesus is already seen as the Lord as proclaimed in the apostolic preaching.
Like the first two chapters of the Acts of the Apostles are about the transition from the time of Jesus to the time of the Church, so also the first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke are about the transition from the Old to the New Testament. There are constant quotations and allusions to the Old Testament. The people, such as Zachary and Elisabeth, Simeon and Anna, Joseph and especially Mary, represent the spirituality of the poor of the Lord that characterise the final period of the Old Testament. All, and particularly Mary, rejoice at the coming of the salvation they had so longed for.
Luke divides his childhood Gospel into seven scenes: the proclamation of John the Baptist’s birth (1:5-25), the proclamation of Jesus’ birth (1:26-38), Mary’s visit to Elisabeth (1:39-56), the birth of John the Baptist (1:57-80), the birth of Jesus (2:1-21), the presentation of Jesus at the temple (2:22-40), and Jesus among the doctors in the temple (2:41-52). Many scholars believe that Luke meant to draw a parallel between Jesus and John the Baptist in order to show Jesus’ superiority over John, the last of the prophets. With the birth of Jesus begin the new times towards which the Old Testament yearned.
b) The text:
Now it happened that at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be made of the whole inhabited world. This census - the first - took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee for Judea, to David's town called Bethlehem, since he was of David's House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. Now it happened that, while they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the living-space.
Now it happened that at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be made of the whole inhabited world. This census - the first - took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee for Judea, to David's town called Bethlehem, since he was of David's House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. Now it happened that, while they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the living-space.
In the countryside close by there were shepherds out in the
fields keeping guard over their sheep during the watches of the night. An angel
of the Lord stood over them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They
were terrified, but the angel said, 'Do not be afraid. Look, I bring you news
of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of
David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign
for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a
manger.' And all at once with the angel there was a great throng of the hosts
of heaven, praising God with the words: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and
on earth peace for those he favours. Now it happened that when the angels had
gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go to
Bethlehem and see this event which the Lord has made known to us.' So they
hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When
they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and
everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds said to them. As for
Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the
shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and
seen, just as they had been told.
3. A moment of prayerful silence
so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.
4. Some questions
to help us in our personal reflection.
a) Is there room for Jesus in my life?
b) What signs of his presence is God offering me?
c) How do I react to these sign?
d) Jesus was born to bring joy and peace. How far do these gifts characterise my life?
e) Am I a bearer of joy and peace to others?
b) What signs of his presence is God offering me?
c) How do I react to these sign?
d) Jesus was born to bring joy and peace. How far do these gifts characterise my life?
e) Am I a bearer of joy and peace to others?
5. A key to the reading
for those who wish go deeper into the text.
- "There was no room for them"
Jesus is born in extreme poverty. It is not just a matter of the
material destitution of his family. It is much more than this. He is born far
from the village where his parents live, far from the love of relatives and
friends, far from the comfort of the paternal home, even though poor. He is
born among strangers who do not care for him and only offer a manger for his
birth.
We see here the great mystery of the incarnation. Paul will say,
"he was rich, but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of
his poverty" (2 Cor 8:9). The prologue of John’s Gospel affirms that
although it is through him that the world came to be, Jesus, the Word made
flesh, "he came to his own domain, and his own people did not accept
him" (Jn 1:11). It is this drama that marks the whole of Jesus’ life,
coming to its culmination in the absolute rejection at the proceedings before
Pilate (see Jn 18:28-19:16). In the final analysis, it is the drama of God who
reveals himself and gives himself constantly to humanity and is so often
rejected.
- A sign to be deciphered
However, it must be said that it was not easy for his
contemporaries to recognise Jesus. It is never easy for anyone, not even today,
to recognise him for what he really is. Only God’s revelation can unveil his
mystery (see for example Jn 5:37; 6:45). In the story of his birth, the aim of
the angelic message is precisely that of revealing his mystery.
In fact, our text is made up of three parts. In vv. 1-7 we have
the fact of the birth of Jesus in a clear context. It is the birth of a boy
like so many other boys. Verses 8-14 tell us about the message by an angel and
the vision of angels who sing. It is God’s revelation (see v.15) that allows us
to discover in the "sign" of "a child wrapped in swaddling
clothes and lying in a manger" (v. 12) "Christ the Lord" (v.11).
In the last part (vv. 15-20), we come across various reactions to the
revelation of the mystery. When the sign that God offers is received with
humility, it marks the beginning of a journey of faith towards him who reveals
himself.
- How to decipher the sign and welcome Jesus
Our text presents three reactions to the mystery of Jesus.
First there are the shepherds. They are characterised by several
verbs of expectation/seeking and discovery: "(they) watch… during the
night" (v. 8); "let us go and see…" (v. 15); "they hurried
away and found…" (v.16). The shepherds were open to the revelation of the
mystery. They welcomed it in simplicity and believed it (see vv. 15 and 20) and
they became witnesses of that which was revealed to them (see v. 17). Then
there are "those who heard" what the shepherds had to say about Jesus
(v. 16). They are amazed, unable to see the real meaning of the event that took
place among them. Finally there is the report on Mary. The evangelist wants to
contrast her reaction to that of "those who heard". In fact, he
introduces her with the words "as for Mary" (v. 19). Like them, Mary
has not heard the message of the angel and has not seen the angelic choir, but
has only heard the witness of the shepherds. Yet she accepts it. Certainly, she
had an angelic message addressed to her alone at the beginning of this whole
episode (1:26-38). The angel had spoken of a son who was to be born from her as
the Son of the Most High who was to rule forever (see 1:32 and 35). But recent
happenings, the birth under such circumstances, could have put doubts to these
words. Now the shepherds come and again say great things about her son. Mary
keeps everything in her heart, the words of the angel, the words of the
shepherds, the events taking place and seeks to put them together in order to
understand who is this son whom God has given her, what is his mission and what
is her part in all this. Mary is a contemplative woman who keeps her eyes and
ears open so as not to miss anything. She, then, keeps and meditates all in the
silence of her contemplative heart. Mary is the attentive Virgin, capable of receiving
the word that God speaks to her in the daily events of her life. Only they who
wish to seek like the shepherds and who have the contemplative heart of Mary
can decipher the signs of the presence and action of God in their lives and to
welcome Jesus in the home of their being.
6. Psalm 98
O sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
The Lord has made known his victory,
he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love
and faithfulness to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord,
all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!
he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love
and faithfulness to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord,
all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who dwell in it!
Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together
before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.
the world and those who dwell in it!
Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together
before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.
7. Final Prayer
O Little Child! My only treasure, I give myself totally to
your divine fancies. I have no other joy than to make you smile. Brand me with
your grace and your childlike virtues, so that on my birthday into heaven the
angels and saints may recognise them in your little spouse.
(St. Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face, prayer
n.14)
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