Born for Us and for Us Given

 

The First Mass of Christmas

St. Dominic, Canton

 

Gloria in excelsis Deo! Glory to God in the highest!

        The grace of God hath appeared to all men, instructing us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires… looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of our great God and our Savior Jesus Christ… that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse to himself a people acceptable… (three quotes picked out of the full text of our Epistle from St. Paul to Titus)

        When I was quite young, maybe already in elementary school or somewhere into young adulthood, I used to think that perhaps the reason Christmas was considered more popular by many Catholics than was Easter had to do with the sentimental character of everything surrounding Christ’s Nativity. You know: all the Christmas Carols, the beautiful crib scenes? Now that I am older, I know better.

        The profound truth is that the Star of Bethlehem leads those among us who are truly wise by way of Bethlehem to the Cross and to the glory of the Resurrection. The life of the Son of God, born among us as a Man, from beginning to end is God’s great work for the salvation of the world. The Savior’s total outpouring to save us from our sins begins with the Incarnation, with God becoming Man, And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger… Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy…  

        Now, I am saying this not because I want to deny or correct sentiment which fills our hearts in this winter night, but because I want to affirm it. Our emotion and affection are rightfully there both in the stable at Bethlehem and at the foot of the Cross on Calvary. Jesus’ suffering and death on the Cross should tear us up inside and move us to renounce sin, entrusting every aspect of our living to the God Who gave Himself up for all of us, And you, when you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he hath quickened together with him, forgiving you all offences: Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross. And despoiling the principalities and powers, he hath exposed them confidently in open shew, triumphing over them in himself. [Col. 2:13-15] The Holy Bible: Douay-Rheims Version (p. 3144). Catholic Way Publishing. Kindle Edition.

        But Christmas should move us just the same. The work of our salvation begins in earnest at the Crib, away in a manger… as the carol goes, where we contemplate that poor little Baby, our True King, our One and Only God! In the Credo and in the Last Gospel of St. John at Mass we bend the knee at the words ET VERBUM CARO FACTUM EST, and the Word was made Flesh. At the Name of Jesus, spoken by us or by others in our stead, we bow our heads.

Our proper names are not earned but rather given to us, and so was it with Jesus as well. The Archangel Gabriel, at the Annunciation, told Mary the Name of her Child. Joseph too heard His Name before Christ’s birth. Matthew 1:20-21: But while he thought on these things, behold the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins. The Holy Bible: Douay-Rheims Version (p. 2625). Catholic Way Publishing. Kindle Edition.

        ET VERBUM CARO FACTUM EST: The Incarnation is always there present. Christmas is always there at every Mass, just as surely as the Sacrifice of Calvary is there in its unbloody renewal. At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow, for He was destined to save His people from their sins. I suppose you could say that the sweet wood of the manger is no less precious to us than is the sweet wood of the Cross.

        Rejoice in the feast! Bow your head and bend your knee before the great work of our salvation accomplished for us in Jesus, born for us and for us given!

Gloria in excelsis Deo! Glory to God in the highest!

PROPERANTES ADVENTUM DIEI DEI