The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Mass During the Day
Mass During the Day
Lectionary: 16
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
PsalmPS 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.
GospelJN 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 account
with a description of the Word of God and the creation of the universe and
humankind? How might the beginning of John's Gospel be linked with the beginning
of the first book of Genesis (John 1:1-3 and Genesis 1:1-3)? 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).
The eternal Word leaped down from heaven
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).
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).
Truly man and truly God
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?
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?
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).
We become partakers of Christ's divine nature
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?
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.”
SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD
(CHRISTMAS)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, LUKE 2:15-20
Holy Day of Obligation
(Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrew 1:1-6)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, LUKE 2:15-20
Holy Day of Obligation
(Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrew 1:1-6)
KEY VERSE: "So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger" (v 16).
TO KNOW: The birth of the Son of God was first proclaimed to the lowly shepherds, poor outcasts, who were ready for the gospel. The appearance of God’s messenger lit up the sky (Deut 33:2). This message of salvation was meant for "all people" (Lk 2:10), not just the shepherds. The angels announced peace as a gift of God’s favor. The Emperor Augustus was revered for having established peace in the Empire after a century of civil strife. But the Pax Romana was enforced by military power. True peace would come through Jesus (John 14:27). The shepherds went to Bethlehem, eager (as Mary was, Luke 1:39) to respond to the good news of salvation. They went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw this, they made known what they had seen and heard concerning this child. Their telling of the event provoked the astonishment that would later accompany the work of Jesus and the early gospel preachers. Those who listened to the shepherds responded by glorifying and praising God, while Mary, the ideal recipient of God’s word and the model of Christian prayer (8:21; 11:27–28), reflected on God’s words and treasured them in her heart.
TO LOVE: Spend some quiet time reflecting on Jesus' coming into your life.
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus Christ, help me to glorify and praise you as the Child of Bethlehem and the King of the all people.
NOTE: The Octave of
Christmas (octave means eight) lasts for eight days. The Octave begins
with Christmas day and ends after the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on
January 1.
THE SEASON OF CHRISTMAS
The Christmas season immediately follows Advent. The traditional Twelve Days of Christmas begins with Christmas Eve on the evening of December 24 and continues until the feast of Epiphany. The actual Christmas season continues until the Feast of the Baptism of Christ, which in the present form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on the Sunday after 6 January. Epiphany commemorates the recognition of Jesus as the Son of God by the three Wise Men (and by all nations). The season of Christmas ends on the Monday after the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord, which signifies the purification of the world, through Christ himself.
Monday 25
December 2017
Birth of the Lord.
Isaiah
52:7 10. Psalm 97(98):1-6. Hebrews 1:1-6. John 1:1-18.
All the
ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God—Psalm 97(98):1-6.
Do not be
afraid.
The bad things that happen are
only outweighed by the huge amount of good that is carried out by good people!
God does not wait for the world to become good; he rather chooses to make a
home with us.
The shepherds see the world
changing around them; they fear that God is abandoning them; things are turning
for the worse. They—and we—are told do not be afraid.
Let’s pray for the grace of
courage to have confidence in the love of God, amid the reality of ourselves
and our world. Let us welcome God into our lives in no matter what ‘disguise’
she seeks to enter. Let’s find ways to bring the stranger to our Christmas
table and to respect the way in which the earth sustains us. In including
others, let us discover the true meaning of home, a place of nurture,
hospitality and celebration.
LECTIO DIVINA: THE BIRTH OF
OUR LORD (B)
Lectio Divina:
Monday, December 25, 2017
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 gospel of 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 gospel of 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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