From: Luke 2:1-16

The Birth of Jesus

[1] In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world
should be enrolled. [2] This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was gover-
nor of Syria. [3] And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. [4] And Jo-
seph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city
of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage
of David, [5] to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. [6]
And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. [7] And she
gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid
Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The Adoration of the Shepherds

[8] And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over
their flock by night. [9] And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory
of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. [10] And the angel
said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which
will come to all the people; [11] for to you is born this day in the city of David, a
Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [12] And this will be a sign for you: you will find
a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” [13] And suddenly
there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying,
[14] “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He
is pleased!”

[15] When 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.

********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1. Caesar Augustus was Roman emperor at this time, reigning from 30 B.C. to
A.D. 14. He is known to have commissioned various censuses, one of which
could well be that referred to by the evangelist. Since Rome normally respected
local usages, censuses were carried out in line with Jewish custom whereby
every householder went to his place of origin to be listed in the census.

6-7. The Messiah is born, the Son of God and our Savior. “He made Himself a
child [...] to enable you to become a perfect man; He was wrapped in swaddling
clothes to free you from the bonds of death [...]. He came down on earth to en-
able you to rise up to Heaven; He had no place in the inn so that you might have
many mansions in Heaven. He, being rich, became poor for our sake — St. Paul
says (2 Corinthians 8:9) — so as to enrich us with His poverty [...]. The tears of
this crying child purify men, they wash away my sins” (St. Ambrose, “Expositio
Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc.”).

The new-born Child does not yet speak, but He is the eternal Word of the Father.
Even from the manger in Bethlehem He teaches us. “We must learn the lessons
which Jesus teaches us, even when He is just a newly born child, from the very
moment He opens His eyes on this blessed land of men” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ
Is Passing By”, 14). The main lesson He gives us concerns humility: “God hum-
bled Himself to allow us to get near Him, so that we could give our love in ex-
change for His, so that our freedom might bow, not only at the sight of His power,
but also before the wonder of His humility.

“The greatness of this Child who is God! His Father is the God who has made
Heaven and earth and there He is, in a manger, ‘because there was no room at
the inn’ (Luke 2:7); there was nowhere else for the Lord of all creation” (St. J.
Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 18).

Our hearts should provide Jesus with a place where He can be born spiritually;
that is, we should be born to a new life, becoming a new creature (Romans 6:4),
keeping that holiness and purity of soul which we were given in Baptism and
which is like being born again. We contemplate the birth of our Savior when
we pray the “third mystery” of the Holy Rosary.

7. “First-born son”: it is usual for Sacred Scripture to refer to the first male child
as “the first-born” whether or not there were other brothers (cf., for example, Exo-
dus 13:2; 13:13; Numbers 15:8; Hebrews 1:6). The same practice is to be found
in ordinary speech; take, for example, this inscription dating from approximately
the same time as Christ was born, which was found near Tell-el-Jedvieh (in Egypt)
in 1922, which states that a woman named Arsinoe died while giving birth to “her
first-born son”. Otherwise, as St. Jerome explains in his letter “Adversus Helvidi-
um”, 10, “if only He were first-born who was followed by other brothers, He would
not deserve the rights of the first-born, which the Law lays down, until the other
had been born” — which would be absurd, since the Law ordains that those first-
born should be “ransomed” within a month of their birth (Numbers 18:16).

However, Jesus Christ is first-born in a much deeper sense independent of natu-
ral or biological considerations — which St. Bede describes in these words, sum-
marizing a long tradition of the Fathers of the Church: “Truly the Son of God, who
was made manifest in the flesh, belongs to a more exalted order not only be-
cause He is the Only-begotten of the Father by virtue of the excellence of His di-
vinity; He is also first-born of all creatures by virtue of His fraternity with men: con-
cerning this [His primogeniture] it is said: ‘For those whom He foreknew He also
predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be
the first-born among many brethren’ (Romans 8:29). And concerning the former
[His being the Only-begotten] it is said ‘we have beheld His glory, glory as of the
only Son from the Father’ (St. John 1:14). Thus, He is only-begotten by the sub-
stance of the Godhead, and first-born through His assumption of humanity; first-
born by grace, only-begotten by nature. This is why He is called brother and Lord;
brother, because He is the first-born; Lord, because He is the Only-begotten” (”In
Lucae Evangelium Expositio, in loc.”).

Christian Tradition teaches, as a truth of faith, that Mary remained a virgin after
Christ’s birth, which is perfectly in keeping with Christ’s status as her first-born.
See, for example, these words of the Lateran Council of 649: “If anyone does not
profess according to the holy Fathers that in the proper and true sense the holy,
ever-Virgin, immaculate Mary is the Mother of God, since in this last age not with
human seed but of the Holy Spirit she properly and truly conceived the divine
Word, who was born of God the Father before all ages, and gave Him birth with-
out any detriment to her virginity, which remained inviolate even after His birth:
let such a one be condemned” (Canon 3).

8-20. At His birth Christ’s divinity and His humanity are perfectly manifested: we
see His weakness — the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7) — and His divine po-
wer. Christian faith involves confessing that Jesus Christ is true God and true man.

The salvation which Christ brought us is offered to everyone, without distinction:
“Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian,
Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11). That is
why, even at His birth, He chose to manifest Himself to different kinds of people
— the shepherds, the Magi and Simeon and Anna. As St. Augustine comments:
“The shepherds were Israelites; the Magi, Gentiles. The first lived near-by; the
latter, far away. Yet both came to the cornerstone, Christ” (”Sermo De Nativitate
Domini”, 202).

8-9. These shepherds may have been from the neighborhood of Bethlehem or
even have come from further afield in search of pasture for their flocks. It was
these simple and humble people who were the first to hear the good news of
Christ’s birth. God has a preference for the humble (cf. Proverbs 3:32); He hides
from those who consider themselves wise and understanding and reveals Him-
self to “babes” (cf. Matthew 11:25).

10-14. The angel announces that the new-born Child is the Savior, Christ the
Lord. He is the “Savior” because He has come to save us from our sins (cf. Mat-
thew 1:21). He is “the Christ”, that is, the Messiah so often promised in the Old
Testament, and now born among us in fulfillment of that ancient hope. He is “the
Lord”: this shows Christ’s divinity, for this is the name God chose to be known
by to His people in the Old Testament, and it is the way Christians usually refer
to and address Jesus and the way the Church always confesses her faith: “We
believe [...] in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God.”

When the angel tells them that the Child has been born in the city of David, he
reminds them that this was where the Messiah Redeemer was supposed to be
born (cf. Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6), who would be a descendant of David (cf.
Psalm 110:1-2; Matthew 22:42-46).

Christ is the Lord not only of men but also of angels, which is why the angels re-
joice at His birth and render Him the tribute of adoration: “Glory to God in the high-
est.” And, since men are called to share, like them, in the happiness of Heaven,
the angels add: “And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
“They praise the Lord,” St. Gregory the Great comments, “putting the notes of
their hymn in harmony with our redemption; they see us as already sharing in
their own happy destiny and rejoice at this” (”Moralia”, 28, 7).

St. Thomas explains why the birth of Christ was revealed through angels: “What
is in itself hidden needs to be manifested, but not what is in itself manifest. The
flesh of Him who was born was manifest, but His Godhead was hidden, and there-
fore it was fitting that this birth should be made known by angels, who are mini-
sters of God. This is why a certain brightness accompanied the angelic apparition,
to indicate that He who was just born ‘reflects the glory of the Father’ (Hebrews 1:
3)” (”Summa Theologiae”, III, q. 36, a. 5 ad 1).

The angel also tells the shepherds that Christ is a man: “You will find the babe
wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (verse 12) — as foretold in
the Old Testament: “To us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the govern-
ment will be upon his shoulder” (Isaiah 9:6).

14. This text can be translated in two ways, which are compatible with each
other. One is the version chosen by the RSV; the other, as an RSV note points
out: “other ancient authorities read ‘peace, good will among men’”; a variant is
the translation used in the Liturgy: “Peace on earth to men who are God’s friends.”
Essentially what the text says is that the angels ask for peace and reconcilia-
tion with God, which is not something which results from men’s merits but rather
comes from God’s deigning to have mercy on them. The two translations are com-
plementary, for when men respond to God’s grace they are fulfilling God’s good
will, God’s love for them: “Iesus Christus, Deus homo”: Jesus Christ, God-man.
This is one of ‘the mighty works of God’ (Acts 2:11), which we should reflect up-
on and thank Him for. He has come to bring peace on earth to men of good will’
(Luke 2:14), to all men who want to unite their wills to the holy will of God” (St.
J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 13).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: White.

Readings for the Vigil Mass, celebrated during the afternoon or evening before Christmas Day:

First reading	Isaiah 62:1-5 ©

About Zion I will not be silent,

about Jerusalem I will not grow weary,

until her integrity shines out like the dawn

and her salvation flames like a torch.

The nations then will see your integrity,

all the kings your glory,

and you will be called by a new name,

one which the mouth of the Lord will confer.

You are to be a crown of splendour in the hand of the Lord,

a princely diadem in the hand of your God;

no longer are you to be named ‘Forsaken’,

nor your land ‘Abandoned’,

but you shall be called ‘My Delight’

and your land ‘The Wedded’;

for the Lord takes delight in you

and your land will have its wedding.

Like a young man marrying a virgin,

so will the one who built you wed you,

and as the bridegroom rejoices in his bride,

so will your God rejoice in you.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 88(89):4-5,16-17,27,29 ©

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one;

I have sworn to David my servant:

I will establish your dynasty for ever

and set up your throne through all ages.’

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

Happy the people who acclaim such a king,

who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,

who find their joy every day in your name,

who make your justice the source of their bliss.

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

‘He will say to me: “You are my father,

my God, the rock who saves me.”

I will keep my love for him always;

with him my covenant shall endure.’

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

Second reading
Acts 13:16-17,22-25 ©

When Paul reached Antioch in Pisidia, he stood up in the synagogue, held up a hand for silence and began to speak:

‘Men of Israel, and fearers of God, listen! The God of our nation Israel chose our ancestors, and made our people great when they were living as foreigners in Egypt; then by divine power he led them out.

‘Then he made David their king, of whom he approved in these words, “I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.” To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John ended his career he said, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.”’

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

Tomorrow there will be an end to the sin of the world

and the saviour of the world will be our king.

Alleluia!

EITHER:

Gospel	Matthew 1:1-25 ©

A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother,

Perez was the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram was the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon was the father of Boaz, Rahab being his mother,

Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother,

Obed was the father of Jesse;

and Jesse was the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,

Solomon was the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,

Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,

Joram the father of Azariah,

Azariah was the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah;

and Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers.

Then the deportation to Babylon took place.

After the deportation to Babylon:

Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud,

Abiud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

Azor was the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Achim,

Achim the father of Eliud,

Eliud was the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob;

and Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary;

of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.

The sum of generations is therefore: fourteen from Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Babylonian deportation; and fourteen from the Babylonian deportation to Christ.

This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son

and they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’ When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home and, though he had not had intercourse with her, she gave birth to a son; and he named him Jesus.

OR:

Alternative Gospel	Matthew 1:18-25 ©

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son

and they will call him Emmanuel,

Readings for the Midnight Mass, celebrated during the night before Christmas Day:

First reading	Isaiah 9:1-7 ©

The people that walked in darkness

has seen a great light;

on those who live in a land of deep shadow

a light has shone.

You have made their gladness greater,

you have made their joy increase;

they rejoice in your presence

as men rejoice at harvest time,

as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.

For the yoke that was weighing on him,

the barb across his shoulders,

the rod of his oppressor,

these you break as on the day of Midian.

For all the footgear of battle,

every cloak rolled in blood,

is burnt,

and consumed by fire.

For there is a child born for us,

a son given to us

and dominion is laid on his shoulders;

and this is the name they give him:

Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God,

Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace.

Wide is his dominion

in a peace that has no end,

for the throne of David

and for his royal power,

which he establishes and makes secure

in justice and integrity.

From this time onwards and for ever,

the jealous love of the Lord of Hosts will do this.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 95(96):1-3,11-13 ©

Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.

O sing a new song to the Lord,

sing to the Lord all the earth.

O sing to the Lord, bless his name.

Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.

Proclaim his help day by day,

tell among the nations his glory

and his wonders among all the peoples.

Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,

let the sea and all within it thunder praise,

let the land and all it bears rejoice,

all the trees of the wood shout for joy

at the presence of the Lord for he comes,

he comes to rule the earth.

Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.

With justice he will rule the world,

he will judge the peoples with his truth.

Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.

Second reading	Titus 2:11-14 ©

God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives here in this present world, while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the Appearing of the glory of our great God and saviour Christ Jesus. He sacrificed himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it could be his very own and would have no ambition except to do good.

Gospel Acclamation	Lk2:10-11

Alleluia, alleluia!

I bring you news of great joy:

today a saviour has been born to us, Christ the Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel	Luke 2:1-14 ©

Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken. This census – the first – took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own town to be registered. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to Judaea, to the town of David 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. 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 at the inn.

In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took it in turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, ‘Do not be afraid. Listen, 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 suddenly with the angel there was a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing:

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and peace to men who enjoy his favour.’

Readings for the Dawn Mass, celebrated at dawn on Christmas Day:

First reading	Isaiah 62:11-12 ©

This the Lord proclaims

to the ends of the earth:

Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Look,

your saviour comes,

the prize of his victory with him,

his trophies before him.’

They shall be called ‘The Holy People’,

‘the Lord’s Redeemed.’

And you shall be called ‘The-sought-after’,

‘City-not-forsaken.’

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 96(97):1,6,11-12 ©

This day new light will shine upon the earth: the Lord is born for us.

The Lord is king, let earth rejoice,

let all the coastlands be glad.

The skies proclaim his justice;

all peoples see his glory.

This day new light will shine upon the earth: the Lord is born for us.

Light shines forth for the just

and joy for the upright of heart.

Rejoice, you just, in the Lord;

give glory to his holy name.

This day new light will shine upon the earth: the Lord is born for us.

Second reading	Titus 3:4-7 ©

When the kindness and love of God our saviour for mankind were revealed, it was not because he was concerned with any righteous actions we might have done ourselves; it was for no reason except his own compassion that he saved us, by means of the cleansing water of rebirth and by renewing us with the Holy Spirit which he has so generously poured over us through Jesus Christ our saviour. He did this so that we should be justified by his grace, to become heirs looking forward to inheriting eternal life.

Gospel Acclamation	Lk2:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and peace to men who enjoy his favour.

Alleluia!

Gospel	Luke 2:15-20 ©

When the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened 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 had to say. 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; it was exactly as they had been told.

Readings for the daytime Mass on Christmas Day:

First reading	Isaiah 52:7-10 ©

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.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 97(98):1-6 ©