GOSPEL READING:
Luke 2:15-20When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; 18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Meditation: 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.
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.
Psalm 97:1-6, 11-12
1 The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coast lands be glad!
2 Clouds and thick darkness are round about him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him, and burns up his adversaries round about.
4 His lightnings lighten the world; the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory.
11 Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: The shepherds are the first proclaimers of the Gospel, by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.
"The shepherds did not keep silent about the hidden mysteries
that they had come to know by divine influence. They told whomever
they could. Spiritual shepherds in the church are appointed
especially for this, that they may proclaim the mysteries of the
Word of God and that they may show to their listeners that the
marvels which they have learned in the Scriptures are to be
marveled at." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS
1.7)
