The Nativity of the Lord

Today's Mass Readings

Merry Christmas! Today is born our savior! And, indeed, that one expression, “Merry Christmas,” expresses what all Christians ought to feel on this day: merriness, the true joy that comes with knowing God’s love made flesh and brought to us by the Blessed Virgin Mary in a humble stable in Bethlehem. Though there are three choices of readings today, depending on whether Mass is at midnight, at dawn, or during the day, each selection reflects this great joy in God’s love and mercy represented by this tremendous event of Jesus’ birth. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” prophesies Isaiah (Is. 9:1), and this child Jesus is our light, our Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, and Prince of Peace, who reigns from David’s throne over his kingdom. “The grace of God has appeared, saving us all” writes St. Paul to Titus (Ti. 2:11). “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” (Jn. 1:14).

These passages speak triumphantly, of light, grace, salvation, glory, and truth. And certainly Jesus’ Incarnation and nativity represent a moment of victory, of God’s coming to walk among his people out of his great love and mercy. But as the gospel passages from Luke convey, this is a strange sort of triumph and a humble kind of victory. While one of the greatest events of all history, Jesus’ birth takes place in a lowly setting. This is how our God comes to us, as a meek and powerless infant. Luke draws attention to the celebration of Jesus’ birth—a celebration of shepherds and angels—and Luke wants to convey the magnitude of this event by so doing. And yet the contrast remains: our salvation is found in this little babe. God saves us by coming as one of us.

Today is a great day of celebration, when we gather with friends and family, exchange gifts, and enjoy a feast. But let the focus of the celebration always be on the Christ child. In this newborn child, we find our future, our redemption. God has come to make his dwelling among us, and he will live, die, and rise that we might make our dwelling with him in heaven. Let us take some time to praise God for this wonderful gift!

- Maria Morrow