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IN THOSE days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. And Joseph 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, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. [Lk 2:1,4-5]

Artist: Victor Luciano Rebuffo

(1903 -1 983)

Buenos Aires, Argentina

"ON THAT DAY" ^_[1]

CELEBRATED IN SCRIPTURE

1. The phrase on that day is celebrated in Sacred Scripture, for it prophesies God's decisive intervention in the corrupt affairs of man. [cf. Isa 25:9; Hos 2:18-20; Zeph 3:11-13] On that day every family on earth shall embrace the Father of heaven as its head. On that day all nations shall surrender the kingship of their governments to the Son of God, Emmanuel, the Christ.

2. On that day the Father with the Son shall consecrate men, women and children of every language as a tent of dwelling for the Spirit of the living God. On that day the Lord of Glory will gather to himself all who are cherished in His sight: you who mourn, you poor in spirit, you that hunger and thirst for righteousness, you merciful, you pure in heart, the peacemakers among you, and all the lowly ones in your midst.

3. In his Spirit he has gathered you together "as a hen gathers her brood under he wings". [Mt. 23:37] On that day we will behold our Shepherd from the valley; on the mountain top we will welcome him. No longer shall we sojourn forsaken among the nations, reviled and persecuted for the sake of the Gospel.

HUSHED AND SOLEMN HOUR

4. In the sanctuary of the Heavenly City, the flock of Lord shall find pasture. Through its Holy Door they shall go in and out in safety. On this blessed night of the Nativity of Our Lord, we anticipate that day when Christ the King will return in majesty, like lightning that the ignites jet-black skies from east to west [Mt 24:27], when no light will kindle save that of God's unhindered glory. On that day man's spirit and flesh will abide in peace, and the Lord will be honored by righteous deeds. The Church, the immaculate Bride of Christ will espouse her Groom.

5. On that day the people of God will take their seats at the heavenly banquet table. In the hushed and solemn hour of our Saviour's birth, we would do well to remember that human violence can never father peace; hatred is never the catalyst for healing. Who could have known that the road from Bethlehem's manger would end at the Garden of Gethsemane? To have foreseen Jesus the Christ kneeling in a familiar garden on a terrifying night? In the hour of his arrest, the Lord of Lords would heal the ear of an innocent slave. [cf. Luke 22:51] In the hour of execution, the King of Kings would absolve those who crucified him saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they do." [Luke 23:34]

WHEN DOORS ARE SHUT

6. Could someone, anyone have opened his door in Bethlehem in the hour of Mary's labor? Yes, but it was not to be. Could Jesus have been rescued by his followers at the time of his arrest and crucifixion? Possibly, but Our Lord admonished Peter: "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword." [Mat 26:52] Could Jesus have been rescued by God? Certainly. "Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father", said Jesus at Gethsemane, "and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?" [Mat 26:53]

7. When all doors are shut in your face, when everything you work for turns to straw, and you are surrounded on all sides by aggressors, pray to God for the grace to persevere to the end. Think back to the gentle night of our Saviour's birth and the terrible night of his passion. In the hour when he was stripped of everything he held most dear, and died on the cross as if his heavenly Father had ceased to love him, he freed our tormented souls from the grasp of evil and gave us shelter under the wings of God's illimitable love. [cf. Psa 91:4]

STRUGGLING FOR THE GOOD

8. There is abundant evidence that the natural order strives for the good in anticipation of the "revealing of the sons of God" when "the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay" [Rom 8:19,21]: Consider the grass that stubbornly roots itself in the cracks of a sidewalk, young fir trees that rise triumphant from the ashes of a forest fire, and every specie of animal life that tenaciously clings to existence. Nature's attempt to repair its wounded ecology and restore equilibrium to its rhythmic cycles is but a shadow of the world of the spirit which awaits its own perfection.

9. Between the natural and spiritual orders stands man, a creature of spirit and flesh wounded by sin and struggling for the good: "Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.' And they shall be called The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called Sought out, a city not forsaken." [Isa 62:11-12] God has willed that the destiny of heaven and earth be interwoven into the affairs of man.

EXCHANGE OF GOODNESS

10. The collect prayers of the Mass of the Solemnity of Christmas speak of this exchange of goodness between God and his chosen people: "By our communion with God made man, may we become more like him who joins our lives to yours..."^[2] In the preparation of the gifts in the Liturgy of the Eucharist, you observe that the presiding priest always pours a small amount of water into the chalice filled with wine. The prayer which he prays inaudibly is never more appropriate than on this solemn night as we celebrate the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ: "By the mystery of this water and wine, may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity."^[3]

11. On behalf of our bishop and all the lay people who serve you in the ministries of our parish community, I give you the joy of Christmas. As you stand on the threshold of the coming century, I pray that you will enter the new year confident and unafraid: May your footsteps will be firm in the Gospel. May you may behold the many blessings of your future which God has prepared for you. May you walk with Christ and entrust your very life to him. May you behold from afar your journey's end, the heavenly city Jerusalem, and rejoice "in all the good which the Lord your God has given to you and to your house". [Deu 26:11] "Let us rejoice and be glad" [Psa 118:24] to hear the voice of the Lord this night. And may the blessings of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be upon us now and evermore, "for what thou, O Lord, hast blessed is blessed for ever". [1Chr 17:27]

^[1] Cycle B /Mass at Midnight /Isa 9:1-6 /Tit 2:11-14 /Lk 2:1-14.

^[2] SACRAMENTARY, "Mass at Midnight", Prayer over the Gifts (1985).

^[3] Ibid., Liturgy of the Eucharist, Preparation of the Altar and the Gifts.

Baptism of the Lord Year A

Baptism of the Lord Year B

Baptism of the Lord Year C