The Octave Day of Christmas
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
Lectionary: 18
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
Lectionary: 18
The LORD said to
Moses:
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:
This is how you shall bless the Israelites.
Say to them:
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,
and I will bless them."
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:
This is how you shall bless the Israelites.
Say to them:
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,
and I will bless them."
Responsorial
PsalmPS 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8
R. (2a) May God bless us in
his mercy.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
Reading 2 GAL 4:4-7
Brothers and sisters:
When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
to ransom those under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.
As proof that you are sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying out, “Abba, Father!”
So you are no longer a slave but a son,
and if a son then also an heir, through God.
When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
to ransom those under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.
As proof that you are sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying out, “Abba, Father!”
So you are no longer a slave but a son,
and if a son then also an heir, through God.
Alleluia HEB 1:1-2
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;
in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;
in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 2:16-21
The shepherds went in
haste to Bethlehem 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.
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.
When eight days were
completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
Meditation: "He
was called Jesus"
What's
the significance of a name? For the Jewish people the giving of a name had
great importance. When a name was given it represented what that person should
be in the future. An unknown name meant that someone could not be completely
known. To not acknowledge someone's name meant both denial of the person,
destruction of their personality, and change in their destiny. A person's name
expressed the reality of his or her being at its deepest level. A Jewish male
child was named at the time of circumcision, eight days after birth. This rite
was instituted by God as an outward sign to single out those who belonged to
the chosen people (Genesis 17:10-12). It was a sign of the covenant that God
made with Abraham and his posterity.
Jesus
- the eternal Son of God who was born of a woman to become our Savior
In fulfilment of this precept, Mary's newborn child is given the name Jesus on the eighth day according to the Jewish custom. Joseph and Mary gave the name Jesus because that is the name given by God's messenger before Jesus was conceived in Mary's womb (Luke 1:31, Matthew 1:21). This name signifies Jesus' identity and his mission. The literal Hebrew means the Lord saves. Since God alone can forgive sins and free us from death, it is God who, in Jesus his eternal Son became a man to offer up his life as the atoning sacrifice to save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). The son that Mary bore is both God and man - the "Word who was God" (John 1:1) and who "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). That is why Mary is not only called the mother of the Christ (the Greek word for Messiah in Hebrew) but also the mother of God or Theotokos in Greek which literally means "God bearer."
In fulfilment of this precept, Mary's newborn child is given the name Jesus on the eighth day according to the Jewish custom. Joseph and Mary gave the name Jesus because that is the name given by God's messenger before Jesus was conceived in Mary's womb (Luke 1:31, Matthew 1:21). This name signifies Jesus' identity and his mission. The literal Hebrew means the Lord saves. Since God alone can forgive sins and free us from death, it is God who, in Jesus his eternal Son became a man to offer up his life as the atoning sacrifice to save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). The son that Mary bore is both God and man - the "Word who was God" (John 1:1) and who "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). That is why Mary is not only called the mother of the Christ (the Greek word for Messiah in Hebrew) but also the mother of God or Theotokos in Greek which literally means "God bearer."
Jesus
- the name above every other name
In the birth and naming of this child we see the wondrous design and plan of God in giving us a Savior who would bring us grace (the gift of God's favor), mercy, and freedom from the power of sin and the fear of death. The name Jesus signifies that the very name of God is present in the person of his Son who became man for our salvation. Peter the Apostle exclaimed that there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved (Acts 2:12). In the name of Jesus demons flee, cripples walk, the blind see, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised. His name is exalted far above every other name (Philippians 2:9-11).
In the birth and naming of this child we see the wondrous design and plan of God in giving us a Savior who would bring us grace (the gift of God's favor), mercy, and freedom from the power of sin and the fear of death. The name Jesus signifies that the very name of God is present in the person of his Son who became man for our salvation. Peter the Apostle exclaimed that there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved (Acts 2:12). In the name of Jesus demons flee, cripples walk, the blind see, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised. His name is exalted far above every other name (Philippians 2:9-11).
The
name Jesus is at the heart of all Christian prayer. It is
through and in Jesus that we pray to the Father in the power of the Holy
Spirit. Many Christians have died with one word on their lips, the name of
Jesus. Do you exalt the name of Jesus and pray with confidence in his name?
"Lord
Jesus Christ, I exalt your name above every other name. For in you I have
pardon, mercy, grace and victory over sin and death. You humbled yourself for
my sake and for the sake of all sinners by sharing in our humanity and by dying
on the cross. Help me to always praise your holy name and to live for your
greater glory."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: By Christ's faith, hope, and love we
are purified, by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.
"He therefore received in the flesh the circumcision decreed by the law,
although he appeared in the flesh absolutely without any blemish of pollution.
He who came in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3) - not in sinful flesh
- did not turn away from the remedy by which sinful flesh was ordinarily made
clean. Similarly, not because of necessity but for the sake of example, he also
submitted to the water of baptism, by which he wanted the people of the new law
of grace to be washed from the stain of sins...
"The reason 'the child who was born to us, the son who was given to us ' (Isaiah 9:6), received the name Jesus (that is, 'Savior') does not need explanation in order to be understood by us, but we need eager and vigilant zeal so that we too may be saved by sharing in his name. Indeed, we read how the angel interprets the name of Jesus: 'He will save his people from their sins' (Matthew 1:21). And without a doubt we believe and hope that the one who saves us from sins is not failing to save us also from the corruptions which happen because of sins, and from death itself, as the psalmist testifies when he says, 'Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases' (Psalm 103:3). Indeed, with the pardoning of all of our iniquities, all our diseases will be completely healed when, with the appearance of the glory of the resurrection, our last enemy, death, will be destroyed... We read that circumcision was done with knives made of rock (Joshua 5:2), and the rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). And by Christ's faith, hope and love the hearts of the good are purified not only in baptism but furthermore in every devout action. This daily circumcision of ours (that is, the continual cleansing of our heart) does not cease from always celebrating the sacrament of the eighth day. (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.11)
"The reason 'the child who was born to us, the son who was given to us ' (Isaiah 9:6), received the name Jesus (that is, 'Savior') does not need explanation in order to be understood by us, but we need eager and vigilant zeal so that we too may be saved by sharing in his name. Indeed, we read how the angel interprets the name of Jesus: 'He will save his people from their sins' (Matthew 1:21). And without a doubt we believe and hope that the one who saves us from sins is not failing to save us also from the corruptions which happen because of sins, and from death itself, as the psalmist testifies when he says, 'Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases' (Psalm 103:3). Indeed, with the pardoning of all of our iniquities, all our diseases will be completely healed when, with the appearance of the glory of the resurrection, our last enemy, death, will be destroyed... We read that circumcision was done with knives made of rock (Joshua 5:2), and the rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). And by Christ's faith, hope and love the hearts of the good are purified not only in baptism but furthermore in every devout action. This daily circumcision of ours (that is, the continual cleansing of our heart) does not cease from always celebrating the sacrament of the eighth day. (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.11)
OLEMNITY OF MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
The Eighth day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, LUKE 2:16-21
Holy Day of Obligation
(Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67; Galatians 4:4-7)
The Eighth day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, LUKE 2:16-21
Holy Day of Obligation
(Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67; Galatians 4:4-7)
KEY VERSE: "And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart" (v. 19).
TO KNOW: Mary and Joseph obeyed the law of Rome by going to Bethlehem to register for the census. They obeyed the religious law of Israel by having their child circumcised on the eighth day after his birth (Lv. 12:3). In this ceremony, the child entered into the life of the Jewish community and received his name: Jesus (Hebrew: Yeshua, "Yahweh saves"). Jesus' mother Mary was the model disciple who received the Word of God with faith, and pondered its meaning in her heart (Lk 2:19). The Church regards Mary as the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church. In Genesis 3:15, we have what is known as the protoevangelium (“first gospel”), God's promise of redemption after the fall of Adam and Eve: “I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel.” The Church sees this as a prophecy of Jesus’ victory over the devil on the Cross. Further, Eve is also described as “the mother of all the living” (Genesis 3:20). Through grace—in Christ—Mary becomes our mother; the mother of all the living not in the order of nature, but in the order of supernatural grace.
TO LOVE: In what ways will I follow Mary's example of prayer and service in this New Year?
TO SERVE: Mary, Mother of God, teach me to ponder within my heart all that God has done for us through Jesus your son.
NOTE: When
Did Mary's Title "Mother Of God" Originate?
At the Council of Ephesus in 431 CE, the Church gave Mary the title “Theotokos” meaning "God-bearer." This Marian title is really a Christological statement, which affirms that the second person of the Trinity, Jesus, was born into history as fully human, and is truly Emmanuel, 'God with us'. Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church includes Mary’s role in a chapter on the Church, referring to Mary as the “Mother of God” 12 times. Because she cooperated in our redemption by bringing forth God's Son to redeem the world, she was also proclaimed the "Mother of the Church" (Pope Paul VI, 1964). Since Mary conceived Jesus, true man and true God, she is truly the mother of the Incarnate Jesus, and therefore, the Mother of God, and the mother of all who believe in her Son.
At the Council of Ephesus in 431 CE, the Church gave Mary the title “Theotokos” meaning "God-bearer." This Marian title is really a Christological statement, which affirms that the second person of the Trinity, Jesus, was born into history as fully human, and is truly Emmanuel, 'God with us'. Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church includes Mary’s role in a chapter on the Church, referring to Mary as the “Mother of God” 12 times. Because she cooperated in our redemption by bringing forth God's Son to redeem the world, she was also proclaimed the "Mother of the Church" (Pope Paul VI, 1964). Since Mary conceived Jesus, true man and true God, she is truly the mother of the Incarnate Jesus, and therefore, the Mother of God, and the mother of all who believe in her Son.
NEW YEAR'S
DAY
The celebration of the New Year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. The Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (the first visible crescent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring). The Romans continued to observe the New Year in late March, but their calendar was tampered with by various emperors so that the calendar soon was out of synchronization with the sun. In order to set the calendar right, Julius Caesar, in 46 BC, established what has come to be known as the Julian calendar. It established January 1 as the New Year. In various New Year's Eve customs, Father Time's image is used as the personification of the previous year ("the Old Year"), who "hands over" the duties of time to the Baby New Year. The poet Robert Burns translated the old Scottish dialect "Auld Lang Syne" to mean 'Old Long Ago' in his poem about love and friendship in times past.
WORLD DAY OF PEACE, JANUARY 1
The World Day of Peace of the Roman Catholic Church is a day dedicated to peace, held on 1 January, on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. It was introduced in 1967 by Paul VI, inspired by the encyclical Pacem in Terris of John XXIII and with reference to his own encyclical Populorum Progressio. The day was first observed on 1 January 1968. The theme for Pope Francis' World Day of Peace message is: “Non-Violence: a Style of Politics for Peace.” In his Message for the World Day of Peace, Pope Francis urges us to practice active nonviolence and work to prevent conflict by addressing its causes, building relationships, and facilitating healing and restoration.
Wednesday 1 January 2020
Mary, Mother of God
Numbers 6:22-27. Psalm 66(670:2-3, 5, 6, 8. Galatians 4:4-7. Luke 2:16-21.
May God bless us in his mercy – Psalm 66(670:2-3, 5, 6, 8
‘They hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.’
Numbers 6:22-27. Psalm 66(670:2-3, 5, 6, 8. Galatians 4:4-7. Luke 2:16-21.
May God bless us in his mercy – Psalm 66(670:2-3, 5, 6, 8
‘They hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.’
Shepherds in those days were outcasts. Since they slept among
their sheep, they tended to be dirty, smelly and unkempt. Yet angels, those
beings who most clearly understood the wonder and mystery of the Incarnation,
chose to tell them about the birth of Jesus. Shepherds were the first visitors
of the Word made flesh, the ones who would tell Mary and Joseph of their
extraordinary experience out in the fields. How did they express what it was
like to experience the glory of God? They got the message, though. They went
back glorifying and praising God.
Jesus, you continue to pick the most unexpected people. Maybe we
should look more closely at those we consider outcasts. After all, Behrouz
Boochani, an Iranian Kurdish refugee on Manus Island, has won many of
Australia’s major literary prizes.
Mary, Mother of God
Saint of the Day for January 1
The Story of Mary, Mother of God
Mary’s divine motherhood broadens the Christmas spotlight. Mary
has an important role to play in the Incarnation of the Second Person of the
Blessed Trinity. She consents to God’s invitation conveyed by the angel (Luke
1:26-38). Elizabeth proclaims: “Most blessed are you among women and blessed is
the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the
mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:42-43, emphasis added). Mary’s role as mother of God places her in a unique
position in God’s redemptive plan.
Without naming Mary, Paul asserts that “God sent his Son, born
of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). Paul’s further statement that
“God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out ‘Abba, Father!’”
helps us realize that Mary is mother to all the brothers and sisters of Jesus.
Some theologians also insist that Mary’s motherhood of Jesus is
an important element in God’s creative plan. God’s “first” thought in creating
was Jesus. Jesus, the incarnate Word, is the one who could give God perfect
love and worship on behalf of all creation. As Jesus was “first” in God’s mind,
Mary was “second” insofar as she was chosen from all eternity to be his mother.
The precise title “Mother of God” goes back at least to the
third or fourth century. In the Greek form Theotokos—God-bearer—it
became the touchstone of the Church’s teaching about the Incarnation. The
Council of Ephesus in 431 insisted that the holy Fathers were right in calling
the holy virgin Theotokos. At the end of this particular session,
crowds of people marched through the street shouting: “Praised be the Theotokos!”
The tradition reaches to our own day. In its chapter on Mary’s role in the
Church, Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church calls
Mary “Mother of God” 12 times.
Reflection
Other themes come together at today’s celebration. It is the
Octave of Christmas: Our remembrance of Mary’s divine motherhood injects a
further note of Christmas joy. It is a day of prayer for world peace: Mary is
the mother of the Prince of Peace. It is the first day of a new year: Mary
continues to bring new life to her children—who are also God’s children.
Lectio Divina: Solemnity of the Mother of God
Lectio Divina
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Visit of the Shepherds to Jesus and His Mother
The marginalized are God’s favorites
Luke 2:16-21
The marginalized are God’s favorites
Luke 2:16-21
1. Opening prayer
Lord Jesus, send Your Spirit to help us read the Scriptures the
same way that You read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light
of the Word, written in the Bible, You helped them to discover the presence of
God in the disturbing events of Your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that
seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of
resurrection.
Create silence in us so that we may listen to Your voice in
Creation and in the scriptures, in events and in people, and above all in the
poor and suffering. May Your word guide us so that we too, like the two
disciples on the way to Emmaus, may experience the force of Your resurrection
and witness to others that You are alive in our midst as a source of
fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of You, Jesus, son of Mary, who
revealed to us the Father and sent us Your Spirit. Amen.
2. Reading
a) A key to the reading:
The reason for Joseph and Mary to go to Bethlehem was the census
imposed by Rome’s emperor (Lk 2:1-7). Periodically, the Roman authorities
decreed these censuses in the various regions of their immense empire. It was a
matter of registering people and knowing how many had to pay taxes. The rich
paid taxes on land and goods. The poor paid for the number of children they
had.
In Luke’s Gospel we note a significant difference between the
birth of Jesus and that of John the Baptist. John is born at home, in his land,
in the midst of parents and neighbors and is welcomed by all (Lk 1:57-58).
Jesus is born unknown, away from His surroundings of family and neighbors and
far from His land. “There was no room in the inn.” He had to be left in a
manger (Lk 2:7).
Let us try to put our text (Lk 2:16-21) into the wider context
of the visit of the shepherds (Lk 2:8-21). As we read, let us try to pay
attention to the surprises we find and the contrasts that appear in this text.
b) A division of the text to help us in our reading:
Luke 2:8-9: The shepherds in the field, the first persons
invited
Luke 2:10-12: The first announcement of the Good News is made to the shepherds
Luke 2:13-14: The praise of the angels
Luke 2:15-18: The shepherds go to Bethlehem and tell of their vision of the angels
Luke 2:19-20: Mary’s attitude and that of the shepherds concerning these events
Luke 2:21: The circumcision of the child Jesus
Luke 2:10-12: The first announcement of the Good News is made to the shepherds
Luke 2:13-14: The praise of the angels
Luke 2:15-18: The shepherds go to Bethlehem and tell of their vision of the angels
Luke 2:19-20: Mary’s attitude and that of the shepherds concerning these events
Luke 2:21: The circumcision of the child Jesus
c) Text:
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 Savior 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 favors.’ 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. When the eighth day came and the child was to
be circumcised, they gave Him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given Him
before His conception.
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) What did you like best in this text? Why?
b) What surprises and contrasts do you find in this text?
c) How does the text teach us that the little ones are great in heaven and the poorest on earth?
d) What is Mary’s attitude and that of the shepherds concerning the mystery of God just revealed to them?
e) What is the message Luke wants to communicate to us through these details?
b) What surprises and contrasts do you find in this text?
c) How does the text teach us that the little ones are great in heaven and the poorest on earth?
d) What is Mary’s attitude and that of the shepherds concerning the mystery of God just revealed to them?
e) What is the message Luke wants to communicate to us through these details?
5. For those who wish to go deeper into the theme
a) The context of then and of today:
The text of the feast of the Mother of God (Lk 2:16-21) is part
of the broader description of the birth of Jesus (Lk 2:1-7) and the visit of
the shepherds (Lk 2:8-21). The angel had announced the birth of the savior and
gave a sign of recognition: “You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger!” They were expecting the savior of a whole people and
they were to recognize Him in a newborn child, poor, who lies close to two
animals! What a great surprise!
God’s plan is fulfilled in an unexpected way, full of surprise.
This happens today too. A poor child is the savior of the people! Can you
believe this?
b) A commentary on the text:
Luke 2:8-9: The first invited people.
The shepherds were marginalized people and not appreciated. They lived together with the animals, separate from the rest of humanity. Because of their constant contact with animals, they were considered impure. No one would have ever invited them to visit a newly born baby. This is why the Angel of the Lord appears to pass on the great news of the birth of Jesus to them. Seeing the vision of the angels, they are full of fear.
The shepherds were marginalized people and not appreciated. They lived together with the animals, separate from the rest of humanity. Because of their constant contact with animals, they were considered impure. No one would have ever invited them to visit a newly born baby. This is why the Angel of the Lord appears to pass on the great news of the birth of Jesus to them. Seeing the vision of the angels, they are full of fear.
Luke 2:10-12: The first announcement of the Good News
Luke 2:13-14: The praise of the angels: Glory to God in the
highest heaven, and on earth peace for those He favors.
A multitude of angels appears descending from heaven. It is heaven that bends itself towards the earth. The parts of this verse summarize God’s plan. The first part tells us what happens in the world up there: Glory to God in the highest heaven. The second part tells us what will happen in the world here below: On earth peace for those He favors! If people could experience what it means to be favored by God, everything would be different and peace would dwell on earth. And this would be to the greater glory of God who dwells in the highest!
A multitude of angels appears descending from heaven. It is heaven that bends itself towards the earth. The parts of this verse summarize God’s plan. The first part tells us what happens in the world up there: Glory to God in the highest heaven. The second part tells us what will happen in the world here below: On earth peace for those He favors! If people could experience what it means to be favored by God, everything would be different and peace would dwell on earth. And this would be to the greater glory of God who dwells in the highest!
Luke 2:15-18: The shepherds go to Bethlehem and tell of their
vision of the angels.
The Word of God is no longer a sound produced by the mouth. It is an event! The shepherds literally say, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this event which the Lord has made known to us”. In Hebrew, the expression DABAR means word or talk. The word of God is a creative force. It fulfills what it says. At creation God said, “Let there be light, and there was light!” (Gen 1:3). The word of the angel to the shepherds is the event of the birth of Jesus.
The Word of God is no longer a sound produced by the mouth. It is an event! The shepherds literally say, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this event which the Lord has made known to us”. In Hebrew, the expression DABAR means word or talk. The word of God is a creative force. It fulfills what it says. At creation God said, “Let there be light, and there was light!” (Gen 1:3). The word of the angel to the shepherds is the event of the birth of Jesus.
Luke 2:19-20: Mary’s attitude and that of the shepherds
concerning these events
Luke immediately adds that, "Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart". These are two ways of hearing and welcoming the Word of God: (i) The shepherds get up to see the events and verify the sign given by the angel, and then they go back to their flocks glorifying and praising God for all that they had seen and heard; (ii) Mary, on the other hand, carefully keeps all these events in her mind and meditates on them in her heart. To meditate on things in one’s heart means to reflect on them in the light of the Word of God, to understand their full significance.
Luke immediately adds that, "Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart". These are two ways of hearing and welcoming the Word of God: (i) The shepherds get up to see the events and verify the sign given by the angel, and then they go back to their flocks glorifying and praising God for all that they had seen and heard; (ii) Mary, on the other hand, carefully keeps all these events in her mind and meditates on them in her heart. To meditate on things in one’s heart means to reflect on them in the light of the Word of God, to understand their full significance.
Luke 2:21: The circumcision and Name of Jesus.
According to the norms of the law, the child Jesus is circumcised on the eighth day after His birth (cf. Gen 17:12). Circumcision was a sign of belonging to the people. It gave the person an identity. On this occasion each child received his name (cf. Lk 1:59-63). He receives the name of Jesus that had been given Him by the angel before His conception. The angel had said to Joseph that the name of the child had to be Jesus, as “He is the one who is to save His people from their sins” (Mt 1:21). The name of Jesus is the transliteration of the name “Yeshua”, or Joshua, and means Yahweh saves. Another name that will gradually be given to Jesus is Christ, which means Anointed or Messiah. Jesus is the awaited Messiah. A third name is that of Emmanuel, which means God with us (Mt 1:23).
According to the norms of the law, the child Jesus is circumcised on the eighth day after His birth (cf. Gen 17:12). Circumcision was a sign of belonging to the people. It gave the person an identity. On this occasion each child received his name (cf. Lk 1:59-63). He receives the name of Jesus that had been given Him by the angel before His conception. The angel had said to Joseph that the name of the child had to be Jesus, as “He is the one who is to save His people from their sins” (Mt 1:21). The name of Jesus is the transliteration of the name “Yeshua”, or Joshua, and means Yahweh saves. Another name that will gradually be given to Jesus is Christ, which means Anointed or Messiah. Jesus is the awaited Messiah. A third name is that of Emmanuel, which means God with us (Mt 1:23).
c) Further information:
Mary in Luke’s Gospel
i) The role of the first two chapters of Luke’s Gospel:
These are two rather well known but less understood chapters. Luke writes them in imitation of the Old Testament. It is as though these two chapters were the last of the Old Testament so as to open the door for the coming of the New Testament. In these chapters, Luke creates an atmosphere of softness and praise. From beginning to end the mercy of God is sung: God, who comes to fulfill His promises. Luke shows us how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament and begins the New Testament. And He does so in favor of the poor, the anawim, who knew how to wait for His coming: Elisabeth, Zachary, Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna and the shepherds. That is why the first two chapters are history but not in the sense that we give to history today. They were more like a mirror for the Christians converted from paganism. They could discover who Jesus was and how He had come to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament, satisfying the deepest aspirations of the human heart. These chapters were also a mirror of the events that were taking place within the communities in Luke’s time. The communities originating from paganism will be born from the communities of converted Jews. But these were different. The New did not correspond to what the Old Testament imagined and expected. It was "the sign of contradiction" (Lk 2:34), and caused tensions and was the source of much suffering. In Mary’s reaction, Luke presents a model of how the communities could react to and persevere in the New.
These are two rather well known but less understood chapters. Luke writes them in imitation of the Old Testament. It is as though these two chapters were the last of the Old Testament so as to open the door for the coming of the New Testament. In these chapters, Luke creates an atmosphere of softness and praise. From beginning to end the mercy of God is sung: God, who comes to fulfill His promises. Luke shows us how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament and begins the New Testament. And He does so in favor of the poor, the anawim, who knew how to wait for His coming: Elisabeth, Zachary, Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna and the shepherds. That is why the first two chapters are history but not in the sense that we give to history today. They were more like a mirror for the Christians converted from paganism. They could discover who Jesus was and how He had come to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament, satisfying the deepest aspirations of the human heart. These chapters were also a mirror of the events that were taking place within the communities in Luke’s time. The communities originating from paganism will be born from the communities of converted Jews. But these were different. The New did not correspond to what the Old Testament imagined and expected. It was "the sign of contradiction" (Lk 2:34), and caused tensions and was the source of much suffering. In Mary’s reaction, Luke presents a model of how the communities could react to and persevere in the New.
ii) A key to the reading:
In these two chapters Luke presents Mary as a model for the life of the community. The key is given to us in the episode where the woman in the crowd praises the mother of Jesus. Jesus modifies the praise and says: “More blessed still are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Lk 11:27-28). Herein lies the greatness of Mary. It is in the world where Mary knows how to relate to the Word of God that the communities contemplate. The better way of relating to the Word of God: welcoming it, incarnating it, living it, deepening it, reflecting on it, giving it birth and making it grow, allowing oneself to be overpowered by it even when one does not understand it or when one suffers because of it. This is the vision underlying the texts of chapters 1 and 2 of Luke’s Gospel, which speak of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
In these two chapters Luke presents Mary as a model for the life of the community. The key is given to us in the episode where the woman in the crowd praises the mother of Jesus. Jesus modifies the praise and says: “More blessed still are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Lk 11:27-28). Herein lies the greatness of Mary. It is in the world where Mary knows how to relate to the Word of God that the communities contemplate. The better way of relating to the Word of God: welcoming it, incarnating it, living it, deepening it, reflecting on it, giving it birth and making it grow, allowing oneself to be overpowered by it even when one does not understand it or when one suffers because of it. This is the vision underlying the texts of chapters 1 and 2 of Luke’s Gospel, which speak of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
iii) An application of the key to the texts:
1. Luke 1:26-38: The Annunciation: "Let it happen to me as you have said!"
Opening oneself so that the Word of God may be welcomed and incarnated.
2. Luke 1:39-45: The Visitation: "Blessed is she who believed!"
Recognizing the Word of God in the events of life.
3. Luke 1:46-56: The Magnificat: “The Almighty has done great things for me!”
A resistance hymn of hope.
4. Luke 2:1-20: The Birth: "She treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
The marginalized welcome the Word.
5. Luke 2:21-32: The Presentation: "My eyes have seen the salvation!"
God's promise is fulfilled.
6. Luke 2:33-38: Simeon and Anna: "A sword will pierce your soul"
Being a Christian means being a sign of contradiction.
7. Luke 2:39-52: At twelve years: "Did you not know that I must be in My Father's house?"
They did not understand the Word of God addressed to them!
1. Luke 1:26-38: The Annunciation: "Let it happen to me as you have said!"
Opening oneself so that the Word of God may be welcomed and incarnated.
2. Luke 1:39-45: The Visitation: "Blessed is she who believed!"
Recognizing the Word of God in the events of life.
3. Luke 1:46-56: The Magnificat: “The Almighty has done great things for me!”
A resistance hymn of hope.
4. Luke 2:1-20: The Birth: "She treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
The marginalized welcome the Word.
5. Luke 2:21-32: The Presentation: "My eyes have seen the salvation!"
God's promise is fulfilled.
6. Luke 2:33-38: Simeon and Anna: "A sword will pierce your soul"
Being a Christian means being a sign of contradiction.
7. Luke 2:39-52: At twelve years: "Did you not know that I must be in My Father's house?"
They did not understand the Word of God addressed to them!
iv) The contrasts that stand out in our text:
1. In the darkness of the night a light shines (2:8-9).
2. The world up there, heaven, seems to embrace our world here below (2:13).
3. The greatness of God manifests itself in the weakness of a child (2:7).
4. The glory of God is made present in a manger, close to animals (2:16).
5. Fear generated by the sudden apparition of an angel is changed into joy (2:9-10).
6. Those completely marginalized are the first to be invited (2:8).
7. The shepherds recognize God present in a child (2:20).
1. In the darkness of the night a light shines (2:8-9).
2. The world up there, heaven, seems to embrace our world here below (2:13).
3. The greatness of God manifests itself in the weakness of a child (2:7).
4. The glory of God is made present in a manger, close to animals (2:16).
5. Fear generated by the sudden apparition of an angel is changed into joy (2:9-10).
6. Those completely marginalized are the first to be invited (2:8).
7. The shepherds recognize God present in a child (2:20).
6. Praying with the Psalm 23 (22)
“Yahweh is my shepherd!”
Yahweh is my shepherd,
I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows He lets me lie.
By tranquil streams He leads me
to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice as befits His name.
Yahweh is my shepherd,
I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows He lets me lie.
By tranquil streams He leads me
to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice as befits His name.
Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death
I should fear no danger,
for You are at my side.
Your staff and Your crook are there to soothe me.
I should fear no danger,
for You are at my side.
Your staff and Your crook are there to soothe me.
You prepare a table for me under the eyes of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup brims over.
Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life.
I make my home in the house of Yahweh for all time to come.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup brims over.
Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life.
I make my home in the house of Yahweh for all time to come.
7. Final Prayer
Lord Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to
understand better the will of the Father. May Your Spirit enlighten our actions
and grant us the strength to practice what Your Word has revealed to us. May
we, like Mary, Your mother, not only listen to but also practice the Word, You
who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and
ever. Amen.
The first thing the angel says is, “Do not be afraid!” The
second is Joy to be shared by the whole people! The third is Today! Then the
angel gives three names to indicate who Jesus is: savior, Christ and Lord!
Savior is the one who frees all people from all ties! The authorities in those
days liked to use the title savior. They attributed the title of Soter (Greek)
to themselves. Christ means anointed or messiah. In the Old Testament this was
the title given to kings and prophets. It was also the title of the future
messiah who would fulfill the promises made by God to His people. This means
that the newly born child, who lies in a manger, has come to fulfill the hopes
of the people. Lord was the name given to God Himself! Here we have the three
greatest titles imaginable. From this announcement of the birth of Jesus as
savior, Christ and Lord, can you imagine anyone with a higher standing? If an angel
says to you, “Be careful! I give you this sign of recognition: you will meet a
child in a manger, in the midst of poor people!” Would you believe him? God’s
ways are not our ways!
