Posted on 12/25/2006 1:22:28 AM PST by Salvation
Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Mass During the Day
Reading 1
Is 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.
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.
Reading II
Heb 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.
Gospel
Jn 1:1-18 or 1:1-5, 9-14
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.
or
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.
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Mary was in need of redemption and she was indeed f redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. The manner of Mary's redemption, however, was unique. Instead of being freed from original sin after having contracted it, she was preserved from contracting it. This was a most fitting favor for the Mother of the Redeemer.
INVOCATION
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
TO THE VIRGIN IMMACULATE
O Virgin Immaculate, Mother of God and my Mother, from thy sublime height turn upon me thine eyes of pity. Filled with confidence in thy goodness and knowing full well thy power, I beseech thee to extend to. me thine assistance in the journey of life, which is so full of dangers for my soul. And in order that I may never be the slave of the devil through sin, , but may ever live with my heart humble and pure, I entrust myself wholly to thee. I consecrate my heart to thee for ever, my only desire being to love thy divine Son Jesus. Mary, none of thy devout servants has ever perished; may I too be saved. Amen.
PRAYER OF PRAISE
O pure and immaculate and likewise blessed Virgin, who art the sinless Mother of thy Son, the mighty Lord of the universe, thou who art inviolate and altogether holy, the hope of the hopeless and sinful, we sing thy praises. We bless thee, as full of every grace, thou who didst bear the God-Man: we all bow low before thee; we invoke thee and implore thine aid. Rescue us, 0 holy and inviolate Virgin, from every necessity that presses upon us and from all the temptations of the devil. Be our intercessor and advocate at the hour of death and judgment; deliver us from the fire that is not extinguished and from the outer darkness; make us worthy of the glory of thy Son, O dearest and most clement Virgin Mother. Thou indeed art our only hope, most sure and sacred in God's sight, to whom be honor and glory, majesty and dominion for ever and ever world without end. Amen.
Saint Ephrem the Syrian
PRAYER OF POPE PIUS XII
This prayer, dedicated to Mary Immaculate, was composed by the Pope for the Marian Year (December 8, 1953-December 8, 1954), which was proclaimed to mark the centenary of the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
Enraptured by the splendor of your heavenly beauty, and impelled by the anxieties of the world, we cast ourselves into your arms, 0 Immacuate Mother of Jesus and our Mother, Mary, confident of finding in your most loving heart appeasement of our ardent desires, and a safe harbor from the tempests which beset us on every side.
Though degraded by our faults and overwhelmed by infinite misery, we admire and praise the peerless richness of sublime gifts with which God has filled you, above every other mere creature, from the first moment of your conception until the day on which, after your assumption into heaven, He crowned you Queen of the Universe.
O crystal fountain of faith, bathe our minds with the eternal truths! O fragrant Lily of all holiness, captivate our hearts with your heavenly perfume! 0 Conqueress of evil and death, inspire in us a deep horror of sin, which makes the soul detestable to God and a slave of hell!
O well-beloved of God, hear the ardent cry which rises up from every heart. Bend tenderly over our aching wounds. Convert the wicked, dry the tears of the afflicted and oppressed, comfort the poor and humble, quench hatreds, sweeten harshness, safeguard the flower of purity in youth, protect the holy Church, make all men feel the attraction of Christian goodness. In your name, resounding harmoniously in heaven, may they recognize that they are brothers, and that the nations are members of one family, upon which may there shine forth the sun of a universal and sincere peace.
Receive, O most sweet Mother, our humble supplications, and above all obtain for us that, one day, happy with you, we may repeat before your throne that hymn which today is sung on earth around your altars: You are all-beautiful, O Mary! You are the glory, you are the joy, you are the honor of our people! Amen.
Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954
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| Monday, December 25, 2006 The Nativity of the Lord - Christmas (Solemnity) |
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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.
Merry Christmas to all of you! May the Lord bless you and your family here at Christmas and always!
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God calls each one of us to be a saint.
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December 25, 2006
Christmas Day
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.
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December 25, 2006    Solemnity of Christmas Old Calendar: The Nativity of Our Lord
Today the Church celebrates the Birth of Jesus Christ, the first day in the octave of Christmas. Throughout Advent the Church longed ardently for the coming of our Savior. Today she celebrates His birth with unrestrained joy. "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." The Son of God became man to give us a share in that divine life which is eternally His in the Blessed Trinity. Christmas time begins on December 24 with the first Vespers of the feast and ends on the feast of the Baptism of Christ. White vestments reappear in our churches as a sign of joy. The Christmas feast is a festival full of joy. The Eternal Word has become Man and dwells among us. The longings of the patriarchs and prophets are fulfilled. During the Christmas season there is an extensive exchange of greetings and good wishes among friends. These greetings are a reminder of those "good tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people, for this day is born to you a Savior Who is Christ the Lord" (Lk. 2:11). They are a reminder, too, that all blessings and graces come to us from Christ: "Hath He not also with Him given us all things?" (Rom. 8:32). During the Christmas season there is also an exchange of gifts. This custom should recall to us that on this day God Himself gave to us the greatest of all gifts, His beloved Son: "God so loved the world as to give His only begotten Son" (John 3: 16).
Though not entirely unknown before, the custom of the Christmas Crib was adopted by St. Francis of Assisi at Greccio, Italy, on Christmas 1225. It is a concrete and vivid way of representing to ourselves the Incarnation and birth of Christ. It depicts in a striking manner the virtues of the newborn Savior, especially His humility, poverty, and charity. |
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Oh, Come Let Us Adore Him!
John 1:1-18 Introductory Prayer:Lord, increase my faith. On this day that we celebrate your arrival, help me to accept your words of life and truth. I don’t always understand what you are asking of me and it sometimes makes obedience hard. Increase my faith. Help me to put all my trust in you. Help me to love you above all things, including myself. I believe you are the way to happiness and the truth of my life. I love you. Help me to be faithful to your love today in all that I do and say. Petition:Help me to properly worship and adore you, my newborn king! 1. That by His Poverty We Might Become Rich. Today we celebrate the beginning of the greatest and most important event in history: when the eternal God became Emmanuel, God-with-us, and entered into human history by taking on our human condition. Today we also mark the greatest and most important choice any of us will ever make in our personal history — our response to God’s salvific action. God had long prepared the Jewish people for the coming of the Messiah, but no Jew ever imagined that the Anointed One would be God himself -- or that the conditions he would choose on entering the world would be so humble. Rightfully, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords should have been born in a warm, plush palace with marble floors, had satin sheets in his crib, and been surrounded by a host of servants caring for his every need. The facts were quite otherwise: He was born into great poverty, on the hard floor of a cold, damp cave, which served as a stable for smelly animals, and after being wrapped in poor rags, was laid in a feeding trough from which the animals had just eaten. Jesus divested himself of all majesty so that by his poverty we might indeed become rich (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:9). To give proper welcome to the newborn King, I too must humble myself and divest my heart of the materialism and consumerism so prevalent in society this time of year. I must detach myself from all the worldly attachments that distract me from God. Simplicity is the key. 2. He Loved Us Enough to Do What We Needed. In the face of the awesome mystery of the Incarnation, mankind has frequently asked the question, “Why did God become man?” The Creed we pray at Mass every Sunday answers: “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven.” We needed it, and he loved us enough to do what we needed. The simple truth is that without his loving action, we would have died in our sins. We would never have had a second chance at eternal life. Heaven would have always remained out of grasp, and the real meaning of who we are -- made in God’s image and called to love as Christ has loved us -- would have forever remained locked up in mystery. God loved us so much that he wanted to be God-with-us, to take our own very nature, to take on all that was low and humble about being a human and redeem it all. Today we celebrate first and foremost God’s incredible love, a love that went to such great lengths to save us. 3. They Gave Him the Very Best They Had. Focusing on the infinite love of God, in and of itself, is not sufficient. The other crucial element is the choice each of us needs to make in response to God’s remarkable gift. The Bible presents us with two sharply contrasting responses to Jesus’ arrival on that first Christmas some 2,000 years ago. First we see the response of the innkeepers. Though they could plainly see that Mary was on the verge of giving birth, and though Joseph would have been related to some of them, not one of the innkeepers welcomed them. They were all too busy with everything else that they were doing, which they doubtless believed to be more important and urgent, that they had no room for Christ in their lives. They weren’t necessarily evil; they just were too busy for God. The second response can be seen in the shepherds and the Magi. When the shepherds received news from the angels of the King’s arrival, they immediately abandoned their flocks and went with haste to find him. After they found him and adored him, they “returned glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.” The Magi, who weren’t even Jews, traveled a great distance in search of the newborn King. When they found the one they were searching for, they fell down and worshipped him, giving him as gifts the very best they had. The response of Mary and Joseph went further still; they dedicated their whole lives to him — their time, their talents, their dreams. Their all-out response to God’s love incarnate stands before us as proof that such a response is possible. And so I ask myself this Christmas morning, with all the sincerity I can muster, which of the responses above most closely resembles the response I will make to Jesus’ arrival? Conversation with Christ: Your arrival in Bethlehem, Baby Jesus, has filled my heart with joy. With the shepherds, I run with haste and abandonment to find you, and leave your crib-side glorifying and praising your Father for all that I’ve heard and seen. With the Magi, I give you the very best gifts I have — my talents, treasure and time. With Mary and Joseph, I give you my whole life. Everything I do will be for you. You have brought new purpose and value to my life. You are my life. Welcome, Lord Jesus! Merry Christmas! Resolution: I will trust in God’s providence and give him something today that I’ve been holding back. |
Christmas Day begins in a very special way with the Midnight Mass. Having this first of the Christmas Masses in the middle of the night is an old custom in the Church and is full of significance. In the first place it corresponds with the traditional belief that Christ was born at midnight. Secondly, from the material darkness around us, we are reminded of the spiritual darkness in the world which only Christ the Light can dispel.
The Midnight Mass is surrounded by family traditions which vary according to national heritage or personal preference. There is, for instance, one delightful way of waking the younger children for Mass. Some member of the family dressed as an angel and carrying a lighted candle, goes to each bed and sings a carol.
After Mass many people share a special breakfast with their family. The French are especially fond of this night meal or reveillon, and serve their own traditional dishes. Other families place the Christ-Child in the crib on their return, and often the head of the family reads the Gospel aloud at the crib or at the breakfast table. This time after Mass also lends itself to the singing of carols and the quiet re-explanation of the Christmas story which children never tire of hearing.
The second Mass of Christmas Day is the Mass at dawn, traditionally called the Shepherds' Mass. Just as the shepherds went eagerly to the crib to adore the Lord and to receive His great gift of light, so we also go to the altar where the same Lord comes just as truly to us. The theme of light is prominent in this Mass. Outside, the natural light is increasing. In Bethlehem the Light is manifested to a few more men. Over and over in the Mass texts light is mentioned: The Introit begins, "A Light shall shine upon us this day; for the Lord is born to us." These words can be read again at home, perhaps at the lighting of the Christ-Candle. (See The Christ-Candle for explanation of the candle.)
Because the feast of Christmas is so great, the Church does not stop rejoicing after one or even two special Masses. She continues her worship with a third, the Mass of the Day. In this Mass, our attention is directed towards the divinity of the Child born in Bethlehem. We rejoice in His governing power and wisdom in the Introit. The Epistle refers us back to the Midnight Mass with the passage: "Thou art My Son, today have I begotten Thee." The progressive manifestation of Christ continues. From swaddling clothes and a lowly stable we move to might and majesty, throne and sceptre. From the adoration of Mary and Joseph and a few shepherds, we go to the adoration of all the earth. The great feast of Christ's manifestation, the Epiphany, is foreshadowed in the Gradual and Communion when we say, "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God."
It is natural that Christian families, in the spirit of the Masses, feel a desire to continue expressing their joy throughout the whole of Christmas Day. This expression takes varied forms.
Thanks, lightman!
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Monday, December 25, 2006 Meditation John 1:1-18 Nativity of the Lord How humble is our God! He came into a world that did not know him in order to redeem a people who did not accept him (John 1:10-11)! At his very birth, the Lord of the universe did not receive a kingly welcome. He was not surrounded by fine gifts. He was not tended to by the finest doctors and servants. He was not clothed in the softest linens. Instead, Jesus was born impoverished, placed in an animal’s stall, and wrapped in simple bands of cloth (Luke 2:7). Yet Jesus was given the one thing that God valued the most: love. Giving their yes to God, Mary and Joseph laid aside their own plans for their marriage in order to welcome Jesus into the world. He was greeted by shepherds—simple, uneducated men who received the angel’s prophecy and in wonder and amazement went to see their Messiah. Why did the Father plan such a lowly appearance for the Word? Why subject his eternal Son to these humble surroundings? Certainly the starkness and poverty of the manger reveal the extent to which God was willing to go in order to save humanity. But Jesus’ humble birthplace also reveals something about us: Without him, we are the poor ones—abandoned and lost, vulnerable to the devil and to our own fallen human nature. Jesus was born in a cold cave, dark and miserable, just as our hearts are before we allow him to be born within us. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us to bring us back to the Father, to fill us with grace and truth (John 1:14). He came to cleanse us in his blood and lift us up by his Spirit. This is the greatest gift we could receive. How can we ever thank him? By kneeling in awe before the manger. By welcoming Jesus into our hearts as Mary did, with a love that turns our lives over to God completely. By asking the Holy Spirit to transform us into a fitting dwelling place for the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Messiah has come! Let all the earth rejoice! O Word of God, you lowered yourself to ransom us, to fill us with wisdom, and to give us life eternal. All praise, thanks, glory, and honor be to you, our perfect God!
Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98:1-6; Hebrews 1:1-6 |
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| Other Articles by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D. Printer Friendly Version |
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| The First Believer | ||
The Beatitudes rank high on the list of all-time favorite Bible passages. But what is beatitude, anyway? In the Bible, a "blessed" person is someone who has received gifts of the greatest value, gifts that lead to true fulfillment and lasting happiness.
If I were to ask you to name the first Beatitude, you'd probably say "blessed are the poor in spirit." According to Matthew you'd be right, but not according to Luke. At the very beginning of his Gospel, Luke reveals that the very first Beatitude is uttered by a woman filled with the Spirit, speaking of another woman overshadowed by the Spirit. Elizabeth says, "Blessed is she who has believed" (Lk 1:45).
Is Marian devotion important in Christian life? This has been a bone of contention between Catholics and Protestants for nearly 500 years.
Let's look at the evidence in just the first chapter of Luke. First, the Angel Gabriel honors her with the greeting "Hail, full of grace" (Lk 1:29). Then Elizabeth prophesies "blessed are you among women." Next the prophet John leaps for joy in his mother's womb at the sound of Mary's voice. Then, in her response to Elizabeth, Mary prophesies "all generations will call me blessed" (Lk 1:48).
But it is Elizabeth's final words to Mary that hold the key to understanding why she is she is to honored: namely, her faith.
One of the battle-cries of the Protestant Reformation was "Faith Alone!" One key conviction that united the many disparate strands of the Reformation was that it is impossible to earn God's favor by our good works, but rather we receive His love as a pure gift, a grace, through faith.
Now consider Mary. Did she crisscross the Mediterranean planting Churches like Paul? Did she give eloquent sermons like Stephen (Acts 7)? Did she govern the Church like Peter? No. Her claim to fame is that she simply said yes to God. She believed He could do as He said and would do as He said.
But true faith is not just intellectual conviction that God exists or that He can do thus and such. Faith involves entrusting oneself, abandoning oneself to God, willing to submit to His will. That's why Paul talks about "the obedience of faith" (Rom 16:26). She surrendered her plan for her life, and yielded to God's plan. And she did this not once, but again and again, even when He left her to begin His public ministry. And when that ministry led to the horror of Calvary, her faith stood its ground at the foot of the Cross.
So Catholics honor Mary for being the perfect example of the greatest Protestant virtue. Ironic isn't it? And the deepest meaning of that disputed doctrine, the Immaculate Conception, is that it was the grace of God working mysteriously from the moment of conception that made possible Mary's exemplary life of faith. Even her faith is a gift of His grace. It's all grace, according to Catholic doctrine.
Mary, of course, knew this. That's why she responded to Elizabeth's praise with the humble, exuberant prayer known as the Magnificat: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." She is like the crystal-clear pool that reflects the sun's rays back to the heavens. So no one needs to fear that honor given her will detract from the majesty of her divine Son. She deflects all the praise given her right back to God, the source of her greatness.
So the answer is that Marian devotion is necessary in Christian life. But what is true devotion to Mary according to the fathers of the Second Vatican Council? Not sentimental piety or gullible preoccupation with every rumored apparition. But rather, imitation of her virtues, particularly her faith (Lumen Gentium 67).
| Other Articles by Dr. Robert Moynihan Printer Friendly Version |
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| The Meaning of Christmas | |
"You, too, come to Christ.... Don't think of the long journeys.... One reaches Him, the omnipresent one, through love, not by seafaring. Yet, since the floods and storms of manifold temptations are common enough on this voyage, too, believe in the crucified one so that your faith is capable of climbing onto the wood. Then you will not sink..." (St. Augustine, Sermon 131.2).
The Christmas season is always a time of endings and beginnings. The sense of time condensing and then unfolding again is palpable. The Advent season begins, blossoms, and passes by; Christmas comes with its joy, thick with memories, and then Epiphany, and we go on, leaving the Christmas season behind and entering into the new year. And often this entire season is a whirlwind, filled with preparations of all types. We don't stop.
We ought to. We ought to stop and be still for a moment. We ought to refect on the real meaning of Christmas. What is it?
It is not to purchase presents. I am not saying that no presents should be purchased. That would disappoint a lot of children! But I am saying that this is not the center of Christmas.
What is the center of Christmas? The answer is not so difficult. It is Christ. Christ is the center of Christmas, the meaning of Christmas. We all know this.
And so, at Christmastime, we all set out, like the Magi, in search of Christ. Where do we find Him? In church? At holiday parties? In Christmas carols? Where?
St. Augustine reminds us (in the quotation above) that we find Him "through love, not by seafaring."
We find Christ through love.
Pope Benedict made this thought the center of his first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love). He argued there that whoever loves is in contact with God, is finding God, has found God. "'God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him' (1 Jn 4:16). These words from the First Letter of John express with remarkable clarity the heart of the Christian faith." These are the first words of the encyclical.
But what is love? How do we love? The pope writes: "Love is not merely a sentiment. Sentiments come and go. A sentiment can be a marvellous first spark, but it is not the fullness of love."
Then what is the "fullness" of love? The pope writes:
Outstanding among the saints is Mary, Mother of the Lord and mirror of all holiness. In the Gospel of Luke we find her engaged in a service of charity to her cousin Elizabeth, with whom she remained for "about three months"(1:56) so as to assist her in the final phase of her pregnancy. "Magnificat anima mea Dominum," she says on the occasion of that visit, "My soul magnifies the Lord" (Lk 1:46). In these words she expresses her whole program of life: not setting herself at the center, but leaving space for God, who is encountered both in prayer and in service of neighbour - only then does goodness enter the world. Mary's greatness consists in the fact that she wants to magnify God, not herself. She is lowly: her only desire is to be the handmaid of the Lord (cf. Lk 1:38, 48). She knows that she will only contribute to the salvation of the world if, rather than carrying out her own projects, she places herself completely at the disposal of God's initiatives.
Christianity teaches that human beatitude, human blessedness, true human happiness, consists in loving union with God. But how do we obtain this blessedness, this union?
If We Act out of Love
We are united with Christ by faith whereby His Spirit dwells in us, theologians tell us. And the Spirit of Christ is not other than the grace of Christ, the love, the caritas, which is spread abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
So, if we act out of love, we are acting out of the Spirit of Christ. As Joseph Ratzinger wrote in his dissertation on St. Augustine, "Every act of genuine Christian love, every work of mercy is in a real and authentic sense sacrifice, a celebration of the one and only sacrificium christianorum (‘sacrifice of Christians')."
Each personal or moral effort we make, each act of love in our lives, to our parents, to our spouses, to our brothers and sisters, to our children, to our friends, is connected in an intimate way with the Spirit of Christ, that same Spirit present in the Eucharist.
In this regard, St. Teresa of Avila writes in her classic work on spiritual life, The Way of Perfection (1566), "Another very good proof of love is that you strive in household duties to relieve others of work, and also rejoice and praise the Lord very much for any increase you see in their virtues.... May it please his Majesty that this love always continue."
And so our search for the true meaning of Christmas, we come back to our own homes. It is there that we have opportunity to "strive in household duties to relieve others of work" - in short, to do the dishes, to wash and fold clothes, to sweep the floor, to set and clear the table, to take out the trash. These are "good proof of love."
So if you want to be close to Christ this Christmas, close to "the meaning of the season," then "don't think of the long journeys" but rather look about you, just where you are. The gift you can give at Christmas is not something you buy, but your very self, your time, your energy, your love. And those who receive this gift will "rejoice and praise the Lord" for the increase they see in your virtue. "Only then does goodness enter the world."
A blessed Christmas to all.
Dr. Robert Moynihan is an American and veteran Vatican journalist with knowledge of five languages. He is editor-in-chief of Inside the Vatican magazine.
| First reading | Isaiah 52:7 - 10 © |
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| How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of one who brings good news, who heralds peace, brings happiness, proclaims salvation, and tells Zion, ‘Your God is king!’ Listen! Your watchmen raise their voices, they shout for joy together, for they see the Lord face to face, as he returns to Zion. Break into shouts of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord is consoling his people, redeeming Jerusalem. The Lord bares his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. | |
| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 97 |
| Second reading | Hebrews 1:1 - 6 © |
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| At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, the Son that he has appointed to inherit everything and through whom he made everything there is. He is the radiant light of God’s glory and the perfect copy of his nature, sustaining the universe by his powerful command; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty. So he is now as far above the angels as the title which he has inherited is higher than their own name. God has never said to any angel: You are my Son, today I have become your father; or: I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Again, when he brings the First-born into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him. |
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| Gospel | John 1:1 - 18 © |
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| In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him. All that came to be had life in him and that life was the light of men, a light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower. A man came, sent by God. His name was John. He came as a witness, as a witness to speak for the light, so that everyone might believe through him. He was not the light, only a witness to speak for the light. The Word was the true light that enlightens all men; and he was coming into the world. He was in the world that had its being through him, and the world did not know him. He came to his own domain and his own people did not accept him. But to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh or will of man but of God himself. The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. John appears as his witness. He proclaims: ‘This is the one of whom I said: He who comes after me ranks before me because he existed before me’. Indeed, from his fulness we have, all of us, received – yes, grace in return for grace, since, though the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. |
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With the shepherds we hurry to the manger and adore the Incarnate Son of God, who for us and for our salvation descended upon earth. The purpose of the Christmas feast is beautifully expressed in the Preface of the Nativity: "For by the mystery of the Word made flesh the light of Thy glory hath shone anew upon the eyes of our mind; so that while we acknowledge Him a God seen by men, we may be drawn by Him to the love of things unseen." 
The Christmas tree, of which the first-known mention was made in 1605 at Strasbourg, was introduced into France and England in 1840. It symbolizes the great family tree of Christ which through David and Jesse has its roots in Abraham, the father of the chosen race. It is often laden with gifts to remind us that Christmas brought us the priceless gifts of grace and of eternal life. It is frequently adorned with lights that recall to us that Christ is the Light of the world enlightening those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.