Luke 2:1-14
The Birth of Jesus
2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Comment: Mons. Jaume PUJOL i Balcells Archbishop of Tarragona and Primate of Catalonia (Tarragona, Spain)
The Word was made flesh; He had his tent pitched among us (Jn 1:14)
Today, with children's simplicity, we are considering the great mystery of our Faith. Jesus' birth emphasizes the arrival of the “Fullness of Time”. As a result of the original sin of our first parents, the human lineage diverged from its Creator. But God, grieving over our sad condition, sent his Eternal Son, born from the Virgin Mary, to us, to redeem us from the slavery of sin.
John, the apostle, explains it by using expressions of great theological deepness: «In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God» (Jn 1:1). John names the Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, as “the Word”. And he adds: «And the Word was made flesh; He had his tent pitched among us» (Jn 1:14).
This is what we are celebrating today; this is why it is a great feast. We marvel at Jesus, newly born. He is a baby... but also, God All Mighty; He is God, but now, He is also one of us.
He has come to Earth to bring us back to our condition of children of God. However, we must welcome within us the salvation He is offering us. As St. John explains, «but all who have received him He empowers to become children of God for they believe in his Name» (Jn 1:12). Children of God! Let us prize this ineffable mystery: «The Son of God has become son of man, in order to make us sons of God» (St. John Crysostom).
Let us welcome Jesus, let us seek him: we shall find salvation, and the true solution to the problems of our world, only in Him; He only is giving us the ultimate meaning of life, of our pains and setbacks. This is why, today, I am proposing you: let us read the Gospel, and let us mull over it; let us try to truly live in accordance with the teachings of Jesus, the Son of God that has come into us. Only then, we shall realize that, together, we could truly build a better world.
John, the apostle, explains it by using expressions of great theological deepness: «In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God» (Jn 1:1). John names the Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, as “the Word”. And he adds: «And the Word was made flesh; He had his tent pitched among us» (Jn 1:14).
This is what we are celebrating today; this is why it is a great feast. We marvel at Jesus, newly born. He is a baby... but also, God All Mighty; He is God, but now, He is also one of us.
He has come to Earth to bring us back to our condition of children of God. However, we must welcome within us the salvation He is offering us. As St. John explains, «but all who have received him He empowers to become children of God for they believe in his Name» (Jn 1:12). Children of God! Let us prize this ineffable mystery: «The Son of God has become son of man, in order to make us sons of God» (St. John Crysostom).
Let us welcome Jesus, let us seek him: we shall find salvation, and the true solution to the problems of our world, only in Him; He only is giving us the ultimate meaning of life, of our pains and setbacks. This is why, today, I am proposing you: let us read the Gospel, and let us mull over it; let us try to truly live in accordance with the teachings of Jesus, the Son of God that has come into us. Only then, we shall realize that, together, we could truly build a better world.
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"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." John 6:68