The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary this Christmas morning invite us to contemplate the intimate connection with the Divine that is the Incarnation.
Light of Hope
The Prophet Isaiah declares that our salvation comes.
* [62:1–12] As in chap. 60, the prophet addresses Zion, announcing the reversal of her fortune. Several motifs reappear: light and glory (60:1–3, 19–20), tribute of nations (60:11), and especially the marriage (61:10; cf. also 54:5–8).1
Psalm 97 praises the Glory of God’s Reign.
* [Psalm 97] The hymn begins with God appearing in a storm, a traditional picture of some ancient Near Eastern gods (Ps 97:1–6); cf. Ps 18:8–16; Mi 1:3–4; Heb 3:3–15. Israel rejoices in the overthrowing of idol worshipers and their gods (Ps 97:7–9) and the rewarding of the faithful righteous (Ps 97:10–12).2
In the Letter to Titus we read that we might become heirs.
* [3:1–8] The list of Christian duties continues from Ti 2:9–10, undergirded again as in Ti 2:11–13 by appeal to what God in Christ has done (Ti 2:4–7; cf. Ti 2:11–14). The spiritual renewal of the Cretans, signified in God’s merciful gift of baptism (Ti 3:4–7), should be reflected in their improved attitude toward civil authority and in their Christian relationship with all (Ti 3:1–3).3
The Gospel of Luke tells of Mary’s response to the Visit of the Shepherds.
* [2:8–20] The announcement of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds is in keeping with Luke’s theme that the lowly are singled out as the recipients of God’s favors and blessings (see also Lk 1:48, 52).4
Nicky Santos, S.J. relates that Pope Francis, after his December 6 Angelus, reminds us that no pandemic or crisis can extinguish the light of Christmas, the light that is Jesus who reveals to us God’s love and who makes infinite goodness shine on the world. As we grapple with our fears and anxieties, the gospel reading tells us to not be afraid for unto us has been born a savior who is Christ the Lord.
Thus, today we are given much needed hope to help us deal with the difficulties and challenges of this pandemic. But we are also invited to be channels of hope to those who most need it as we strive to overcome the numerous inequalities and injustices that exist in our world and that the pandemic has revealed. Perhaps this pandemic Christmas might be a good time for us to truly allow the meaning of Christmas to enter our hearts and transform our lives.And behold, God is born anew in and among us. And, a multitude of the heavenly host sing “Glory to God in the highest.”5
Don Schwager quotes “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)6
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that Symeon the New Theologian (949‒1022) was a Byzantine Christian monk and mystic revered to this day by Eastern Christians. Symeon believed humans had the capacity to experience God’s presence directly. He visualized this union happening within the “force field” of the Body of Christ. This cosmic embodiment is created both by God’s grace and our response.
We awaken in Christ’s body
as Christ awakens our bodies,
and my poor hand is Christ, He enters
my foot, and is infinitely me.
I move my hand, and wonderfully
my hand becomes Christ, becomes all of Him
(for God is indivisibly
whole, seamless in His Godhood).
I move my foot, and at once
He appears like a flash of lightning.
Do my words seem blasphemous?—Then
open your heart to Him
and let yourself receive the one
who is opening to you so deeply.
For if we genuinely love Him,
We wake up inside Christ’s body
where all our body, all over,
every most hidden part of it,
is realized in joy as Him,
and He makes us, utterly, real,
and everything that is hurt, everything
that seemed to us dark, harsh, shameful,
maimed, ugly, irreparably
damaged, is in Him transformed
and recognized as whole, as lovely,
and radiant in His light
we awaken as the Belovedin every last part of our body. [1]7
Let us meditate in joy today for the Gift of Emmanuel, God is with us.
References
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