Feast of Christ’s nativity

The Word became flesh, he dwelt among us.

# The Incarnation : God incarnated in one man, Jesus Christ, in Bethlehem. The Christian tradition that emerged from the Council of Chalcedon sees it as the perfect and unmistakable union of the divine nature of the Person of the Word and the human nature of the Virgin Mary. Jesus is defined as a true man and the true Word of God whose divine will is common with that of God the Father. The Orthodox Church confesses that through the Incarnation, Christ assumed human nature in its entirety, making Himself equal to men in truth while retaining His divine nature. Luther wrote: « We also teach that God the Son became man, born of the pure Virgin Mary, and that the two natures, divine and human, inseparably united in one person, constitute one Christ, who is true God and true man. The Christological controversies that stirred Christianity in the 5th century concerned the nature of this Incarnation of the Word. Some Christian currents of the first centuries considered that the Incarnation of the Word did not take place until John the Baptist’s baptism in the Jordan River. The concept of the Incarnation is considered a mystery.

From the Gospel according to Saint John

In those days, an edict of the Emperor Augustus appeared, ordering a census of the whole land – the first census took place when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was to be registered in his home town. Joseph, too, left the city of Nazareth in Galilee and went up to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and descent of David. He came to register with Mary, his wife, who was pregnant. Now while they were there, the days came that she should bear children. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, for there was no room for them in the common room.

Nearby there were shepherds who spent the night in the fields to tend their flocks. The angel of the Lord came near, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were greatly afraid, but the angel said to them, « Do not be afraid, for behold, I have come to bring you good news of great joy for all the people: Today a Saviour is born to you in the city of David. He is the Messiah, the Lord. And this is the sign given to you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel an innumerable heavenly host praising God, saying: « Glory be to God in the highest, and peace on earth to his beloved on earth ». (Jn 1:1-18)

The Word has been made flesh

Lord, today you come into this world, you make yourself present in my life. Open my heart to receive your graces. Jesus, allow me to live this Christmas by taking the example of Mary in Bethlehem. May my heart be filled with the mystery we celebrate today: God becomes man!

Today, the Saviour has come into the world. Here is the good news on Christmas Eve. Like every Christmas, Jesus comes into the world again, in every home, in our hearts, but unlike the way our consumer society commemorates this holiday, Jesus does not come into the world in an environment of opulence, shopping, luxury, whimsy, and great food. Jesus comes into the world in the simplicity of a gate and a manger.

And so it was, because he was rejected by men, no one wanted to welcome them, neither in the houses nor in the inns. Mary and Joseph, as well as baby Jesus, felt what rejection, lack of generosity and solidarity meant. Shortly afterwards, with the announcement of the Angel: « Do not be afraid, for behold, I have come to bring you good news, great joy for all the people » (Lk 2:10), they all ran to adore the Son of God.

It is a bit like our society that marginalises and rejects people because they are poor, foreign or simply different and then celebrates Christmas talking about peace, solidarity and love on this day we Christians are filled with joy, and rightly so. As St. Leo the Great said: « Sadness is not to be found on this day when life is born ». But we cannot forget that this birth requires a compromise on our part: that of living Christmas in a way that is as close as possible to that lived by the Holy Family.

In other words, without ostentation, without unnecessary expenses, without throwing money out of the window. Celebrating and celebrating is perfectly compatible with austerity as well as poverty. On the other hand, if during these days we do not feel solidarity with those who are rejected, foreigners, the homeless, it means that deep down we are like the inhabitants of Bethlehem: we do not welcome the baby Jesus.

Jesus, show me the path of life. Teach me to know and contemplate you, to look at your face and let myself be transformed by your gaze. You have become one of us, one of us, to make yourself present in each of our lives: blessed are you!

 +MARIE LANDRY FATHERS C+SPRINGS

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◊ Deacon Michel Houyoux  : clik here to tead the paper : Today you are born a Saviour

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