DECEMBER 31
700 SAINT SYLVESTER I, POPE
CCC Cross Reference:
Ez 34:11-31 754
Ps 23:5 1293
Mt 16-18 1969; Mt 16:16-23 440; Mt 16:16 424, 442; Mt 16:17 153, 442; Mt 16:18-19 881; Mt 16:18 424, 442, 552, 586, 869; Mt 16:19 553, 1444
From the Common of Pastors: For a Pope, p. 1805,
OR
FIRST READING
Ezekiel 34:11-16
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.
As a shepherd tends his flock
when he finds himself among his scattered sheep,
so will I tend my sheep.
I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered
when it was cloudy and dark.
I will lead them out from among the peoples
and gather them from the foreign lands;
I will bring them back to their own country
and pasture them upon the mountains of Israel
in the land's ravines and all its inhabited places.
In good pastures will I pasture them,
and on the mountain heights of Israel
shall be their grazing ground.
There they shall lie down on good grazing ground,
and in rich pastures shall they be pastured
on the mountains of Israel.
I myself will pasture my sheep;
I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.
The lost I will seek out,
the strayed I will bring back,
the injured I will bind up,
the sick I will heal,
but the sleek and the strong I will destroy,
shepherding them rightly.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm23:1-3a,4,5,6
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
GOSPEL
Matthew 16:13-19
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter said in reply,
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Back to Memorial Bench
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
DECEMBER 29 SAINT THOMAS BECKET
DECEMBER 29
699 SAINT THOMAS BECKET, BISHOP AND MARTYR
CCC Cross Reference:
2 Tm 2:8 437; 2 Tm 2:11-13 2641;2 Tm 3:12 2847
Ps 34:3 716; Ps 34:8 336
Mt 16:24-26 736; Mt 16:24 226, 618, 2029; Mt 16:25-26 363; Mt 16:25 2232; Mt 16:26 1021
From the Common of Martyrs, p. 1782, or the Common of Pastors, p. 1805,
OR
FIRST READING
2 Timothy 2:8-13; 3:10-12
Beloved:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
such is my Gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,
so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,
together with eternal glory.
This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
You have followed my teaching, way of life,
purpose, faith, patience, love,
endurance, persecutions, and sufferings,
such as happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra,
persecutions that I endured.
Yet from all these things the Lord delivered me.
In fact, all who want to live religiously in Christ Jesus
will be persecuted.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (5) The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear and be glad.
R. The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
GOSPEL
Matthew 16:24-27
Jesus said to all,
"Whoever wishes to come after me, must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life? Or what can one give
in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory,
and then he will repay each one according to his conduct."
Back to Memorial Bench
699 SAINT THOMAS BECKET, BISHOP AND MARTYR
CCC Cross Reference:
2 Tm 2:8 437; 2 Tm 2:11-13 2641;2 Tm 3:12 2847
Ps 34:3 716; Ps 34:8 336
Mt 16:24-26 736; Mt 16:24 226, 618, 2029; Mt 16:25-26 363; Mt 16:25 2232; Mt 16:26 1021
From the Common of Martyrs, p. 1782, or the Common of Pastors, p. 1805,
OR
FIRST READING
2 Timothy 2:8-13; 3:10-12
Beloved:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
such is my Gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,
so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,
together with eternal glory.
This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
You have followed my teaching, way of life,
purpose, faith, patience, love,
endurance, persecutions, and sufferings,
such as happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra,
persecutions that I endured.
Yet from all these things the Lord delivered me.
In fact, all who want to live religiously in Christ Jesus
will be persecuted.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (5) The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear and be glad.
R. The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord delivered me from all my fears.
GOSPEL
Matthew 16:24-27
Jesus said to all,
"Whoever wishes to come after me, must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life? Or what can one give
in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory,
and then he will repay each one according to his conduct."
Back to Memorial Bench
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
17C The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Catechism Links
CCC 531-534: the Holy Family
CCC 1655-1658, 2204-2206: the Christian family, a domestic Church
CCC 2214-2233: duties of family members
CCC 534, 583, 2599: the Finding in the Temple
CCC 64, 489, 2578: Hannah and Samuel
CCC 1, 104, 239, 1692, 1709, 2009, 2736: we are God’s children now
CCC 163, 1023, 1161, 2519, 2772: we shall see him face to face and be like him
CCC Cross Reference:
Sir 3:2-6 2218; Sir 3:12 2218
1 Sm 1 489
Ps 84:3 1770
Col 3:14 815, 1827, 1844; Col 3:16-17 1156, 2633; Col 3:16 2641; Col 3:18-21 2204; Col 3:20 2217; Col 3:21 2286
1 Jn 3 2822; 1 Jn 3:1 1692; 1 Jn 3:2 163, 1023, 1161, 1720, 2519, 2772; 1 Jn 3:21 2778; 1 Jn 3:22 2631
Lk 2:41-52 534; Lk 2:41 583; Lk 2:46-49 583; Lk 2:48-49 503; Lk 2:49 2599; Lk 2:51-52 531; Lk 2:51 517, 2196, 2599; Lk 2:52 472
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Back to SOW II '22
Reading 1:
Sir 3:2-6, 12-14
God sets a father in honor over his children;
a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.
Whoever honors his father atones for sins,
and preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard;
he stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children,
and, when he prays, is heard.
Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;
he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.
My son, take care of your father when he is old;
grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;
revile him not all the days of his life;
kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
firmly planted against the debt of your sins
—a house raised in justice to you.
Or
First Reading: 1 Sm 1:20-22, 24-28
In those days Hannah conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son
whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him.
The next time her husband Elkanah was going up
with the rest of his household
to offer the customary sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vows,
Hannah did not go, explaining to her husband,
“Once the child is weaned,
I will take him to appear before the LORD
and to remain there forever;
I will offer him as a perpetual nazirite.”
Once Samuel was weaned, Hannah brought him up with her,
along with a three-year-old bull,
an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine,
and presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh.
After the boy’s father had sacrificed the young bull,
Hannah, his mother, approached Eli and said:
“Pardon, my lord!
As you live, my lord,
I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD.
I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request.
Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD;
as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.”
Hannah left Samuel there.
Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R. (cf. 1) Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
OR:
Ps 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10
R. (cf. 5a) Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!
My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
Happy they who dwell in your house!
Continually they praise you.
Happy the men whose strength you are!
Their hearts are set upon the pilgrimage.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
O LORD of hosts, hear our prayer;
hearken, O God of Jacob!
O God, behold our shield,
and look upon the face of your anointed.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
Reading II
Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17
Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, be subordinate to your husbands,
as is proper in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives,
and avoid any bitterness toward them.
Children, obey your parents in everything,
for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children,
so they may not become discouraged.
Or
Second Reading: 1 Jn 3:1-2, 21-24
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
And so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit he gave us.
Gospel:
Lk 2:41-52
Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast
of Passover,
and when he was twelve years old,
they went up according to festival custom.
After they had completed its days, as they were returning,
the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,
but his parents did not know it.
Thinking that he was in the caravan,
they journeyed for a day
and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
but not finding him,
they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions,
and all who heard him were astounded
at his understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him,
they were astonished,
and his mother said to him,
“Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”
And he said to them,
“Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
But they did not understand what he said to them.
He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was obedient to them;
and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor
before God and man.
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading Ecclesiasticus 3:3-7,14-17
The Lord honors the father in his children,
and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons.
Whoever respects his father is atoning for his sins,
he who honors his mother is like someone amassing a fortune.
Whoever respects his father will be happy with children of his own,
he shall be heard on the day when he prays.
Long life comes to him who honors his father,
he who sets his mother at ease is showing obedience to the Lord.
My son, support your father in his old age,
do not grieve him during his life.
Even if his mind should fail, show him sympathy,
do not despise him in your health and strength;
for kindness to a father shall not be forgotten
but will serve as reparation for your sins.
Alternative first reading 1 Samuel 1:20-22,24-28
Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son, and called him Samuel ‘since’ she said ‘I asked the Lord for him.’
When a year had gone by, the husband Elkanah went up again with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow. Hannah, however, did not go up, having said to her husband, ‘Not before the child is weaned. Then I will bring him and present him before the Lord and he shall stay there for ever.’
When she had weaned him, she took him up with her together with a three-year old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the temple of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was with them. They slaughtered the bull and the child’s mother came to Eli. She said, ‘If you please, my lord. As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. This is the child I prayed for, and the Lord granted me what I asked him. Now I make him over to the Lord for the whole of his life. He is made over to the Lord.’
Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 127(128):1-5
Alternative Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 83(84):2-3,5-6,9-10
Second reading Colossians 3:12-21
You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful.
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, give way to your husbands, as you should in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives and treat them with gentleness. Children, be obedient to your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord. Parents, never drive your children to resentment or you will make them feel frustrated.
Alternative second reading Colossians 3:12-17
You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful.
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Alternative second reading 1 John 3:1-2,21-24
Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us,
by letting us be called God’s children;
and that is what we are.
Because the world refused to acknowledge him,
therefore it does not acknowledge us.
My dear people, we are already the children of God
but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed;
all we know is, that when it is revealed
we shall be like him
because we shall see him as he really is.
My dear people,
if we cannot be condemned by our own conscience,
we need not be afraid in God’s presence,
and whatever we ask him,
we shall receive,
because we keep his commandments
and live the kind of life that he wants.
His commandments are these:
that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ
and that we love one another
as he told us to.
Whoever keeps his commandments
lives in God and God lives in him.
We know that he lives in us
by the Spirit that he has given us.
Gospel Luke 2:41-52
Every year the parents of Jesus used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual. When they were on their way home after the feast, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was with the caravan, and it was only after a day’s journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances. When they failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere.
Three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the doctors, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, ‘My child, why have, you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.’ ‘Why were you looking for me?’ he replied ‘Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father’s affairs?’ But they did not understand what he meant.
He then went down with them and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. His mother stored up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and men.
Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible
Feast: The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
From: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
Duties Towards Parents
-----------------------------------
[2] For the Lord honored the father above the children, and he confirmed the right of the mother over her sons. [3] Whoever honors his father atones for sins, [4] and whoever glorifies his mother is like one who lays up treasure. [5] Whoever honors his father will he gladdened by his own children, and when he prays he will he heard. [6] Whoever glorifies his father will have long life, and whoever obeys the Lord will refresh his mother.
[12] O son, help your father in his old age, and do not grieve him as long as he lives; [13] even if he is lacking in understanding, show forbearance; in all your strength do not despise him. [14] For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, and against your sins it will be credited to you.
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
3:1-16:23. Throughout the book each doctrinal passage is followed by a section to do with practical applications, sapiential thoughts on moral conduct, eulogies of virtues and sapiential advice on where to seek things that are truly good, etc. This is the first such section. In it the reader will find an exhortation to prudence in all its various forms.
3:1-16. Traditional wisdom encourages people to be observant and to reflect on life in order to discover the best route to happiness. Here it focuses on the relationship between children and their parents: honoring one's parents brings blessings.
However, Ben Sirach's viewpoint is primarily a religious one. "Whoever fears the Lord will honor his father" (v. 7, RSV note m). The Decalogue laid this down very clearly: "Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you; that your day may be prolonged, and that it may go well with you, in the land ..." (Deut 5:16; cf. Ex 20:12), and these verses are a valuable commentary that is generous in its praise of those who attend to that commandment. Very appropriately, the Church uses these verses as the first reading on the feast of the Holy Family, for God honors Mary and St Joseph by entrusting Jesus to their care.
Finally (cf. vv. 12-26), the passage dwells on children's duties to their parents when they can no longer look after themselves: The fourth commandment re- minds grown children of their "responsibilities toward their parents". As much as they can, they must give them material and moral support in old age and in times of illness, loneliness or distress. Jesus recalls this duty of gratitude (cf. Mk 7:10-12)" ("Catechism of the Catholic Church", 2218).
*********************************************************************************************
From: 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28
Birth of Samuel (conclusion)
-----------------------------------------
[20] [A]nd in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, "I have asked him of the LORD."
Consecration of Samuel
-----------------------------------
[21] And the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and to pay his vow. [22] But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, "As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the LORD, and abide there for ever."
[24] And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine; and she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh; and the child was young. [25] Then they slew the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. [26] And she said, "Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the LORD. [27] For this child I prayed; and the LORD has granted me my petition which I made to him. [28] Therefore I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD."
And they worshipped the LORD there.
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Commentary:
1:1-7:17. The books of Samuel begin with an account of the birth of the man from whom they take their name, that is, Samuel, who will become a judge of Israel and a prophet. The beginning is like the book of Exodus, which also begins with a birth -- that of Moses. In fact, many of Moses' features apply to Samuel: just as Moses inaugurated a new and very important stage in the history of the people, so Samuel marks the start of the monarchical period, which will forever leave its imprint on the religious profile of Israel.
The story of Samuel comprises only the first part of 1 Samuel, the first seven chapters, which also contain the history of the ark. The narrative includes three distinct accounts arranged in such a way that the first and last have the same protagonist -- the birth, calling and activity of Samuel as a prophet (chaps. 1-3), the history of the ark (chaps. 4-6), and then Samuel's activity as a judge (chap. 7). Although these narratives may have been independent originally, in the final biblical text they form a perfect unity in doctrinal terms, from the point of view of the setting of events (the shrine at Shiloh), and in the identity of their protagonists, Samuel and the priests, the sons of Eli. The shrine at Shiloh, which was located between Bethel and Shechem and which was a main centre of worship in the era of the judges (Judg 21:19-21), acquires special importance at this point: Shiloh will be where the monarchical power begins, and its splendour will transfer to the temple of Jerusalem when the ark moves there.
The sons of Eli were the last priests of Shiloh. Whereas Samuel was perfectly faithful to the will of God, the Sons of Eli had gradually corrupted the practices of their priestly function; with their death, the temple at Shiloh ceases to have any importance.
The doctrinal thread moving through the three episodes is God's active intervention in all these important events in the life of the people: to him is due the prodigy of Samuel's birth (1:1-20) -- Samuel, the man chosen to open the way to the monarchy; it is God who exposes the sin of the sons of Eli (chap. 2) and initiates the charming dialogue in which Samuel receives his calling (chap. 3). In the episode of the ark, it is the Lord who punishes his people by taking away the ark, the sign of his presence (chap. 4); it is he who visits countless misfortunes on the Philistines who have taken possession of the ark (chap. 5) and it is he who forces them to return it to Israel, which receives it with delight (chap. 6). Finally, the Lord makes Samuel a judge over his people (chap. 5), able to exercise his function at all the shrines of Israel -- in Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah (7:15).
From the very start, the book of Samuel is a sort of religious interpretation of history, in the sense that it puts more emphasis on the meaning of the events it narrates than on their chronological order or their geographical situation. Samuel is a figure of Christ who will initiate the final stage of salvation through his complete obedience to the will of God (cf. Phil 2:8).
1:1-28. Samuel's birth is described with all the elements denoting a miraculous event, emphasizing divine intervention and the child's importance. With no hope of a human solution, a childless woman, humiliated by her husband's (other) fertile wife, seeks a way out of her anguish by asking God, her only hope, to give her a son. Her husband loves her, but he cannot understand her (v. 8); Eli, the priest and head of the shrine at Shiloh, comes to bless her but even he cannot understand her (vv. 15-17). God is the only one who listens to her, and he accepts the vow she has made to him (v. 11). Hannah follows in the line of Sarah, Rachel and the mother of Samson -- other women in whom the action of God could be seen very clearly when he took away the stigma of their barrenness. But, above all, she is the prototype of the devout woman who perseveres in prayer, convinced that it will be heard. "Why is it necessary to list here all those who, by praying as they ought to do, won from God the greatest gifts? For it would be easy for anyone to take an abundant sample of cases based in holy Scripture. Hannah gave birth to Samuel, who was to be compared with Moses himself (cf. Jer 15:1), because although she was sterile, she had faith and prayed to the Lord (1 Sam 1:9ff). [...]
How many favours each of us could tell of if we recalled with gratitude the gifts we have received in order to praise God for them! Once they have been watered by the grace of the Holy Spirit through constant prayer, souls that have gone for a long time without bearing fruit, sterile in the most noble part of their being and with the signs of death on their souls, think wholesome thoughts and are filled with the knowledge of the truth" (Origen, "De Oratione", 13, 2-3). Hannah, who will bear Samuel in her womb, is a figure of Mary and also "a symbol of the Church which carries the Lord. Her prayer is not clamorous, rather it is calm and refined; she prays in the depths of her heart because she knows that God listens to her there" (St Cyprian, "De Oratione Dominica", 5).
Samuel comes into the world as a gift from God; he is the one who was "asked for of the Lord" (cf. v. 20), according to a popular etymology of his name. His mission on earth will be as exceptional as his birth; Hannah presents him at the shrine: "as long as he lives he is lent to the Lord" (v. 28). Samuel is brought up by the priest at the shrine of Shiloh (cf. Judg 18:31; 21:19), that is, within the ancient institutions of the time of the judges; thus, the new institutions he will establish do not imply any break with or rejection of what went before.
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From: Colossians 3:12-21
Progress in the Spiritual Life
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[12] Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, [13] forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. [14] And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. [15] And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. [16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. [17] And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Morals in Family Life
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[18] Wives, be subject to your husband as is fitting in the Lord. [19] Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. [20] Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. [21] Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
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Commentary:
12-13. Putting on the new nature is not just an external action, like putting on different clothes. It is a transfiguration involving the whole person -- soul and body, mind and will. This interior change begins to operate when one makes a firm resolution to lead a fully Christian life; but it calls for an on-going effort, day in day out, to practice all the virtues. "Conversion is something momentary; sanctification is the work of a lifetime. The divine seed of charity, which God has sown in our souls, wants to grow, to express itself in action, to yield results which continually coincide with what God wants. Therefore, we must be ready to begin again, to find again -- in new situations -- the light and the stimulus of our first conversion" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 58).
The virtues which the Apostle lists here as characteristic of the new man are all expressions, in one way or another, of charity, which "binds everything together in total harmony" (v. 14). Meekness, patience, forgiveness and gratefulness all reflect an essential virtue -- humility. Only a humble person can be forgiving and truly appreciative, because only he realizes that everything he has comes from God. This realization leads him to be understanding towards his neighbor, forgiving him as often as needs be; by acting in this way he is proving the genuineness of his faith and love.
See the note on Eph 4:20-24.
14. The comparison of the new nature to a new outfit is extended here by a further metaphor: charity is the belt which keeps everything together. Without it the other virtues would fall apart: supernatural virtue could not survive (cf. 1 Cor 13:1- 3). St Francis de Sales uses simple examples to explain this truth: "Without cement and mortar, which knits the bricks together and strengthens the walls, the entire building is bound to collapse; a human body would simply disintegrate unless it had nerves, muscles and tendons; and if charity were absent, virtues simply could not stay together" (St Francis de Sales, "Treatise on the Love of God", 11, 9).
"Love, as the bond of perfection and fullness of the law (cf. Col 3:14; Rom 13:10), governs, imbues, and perfects all the means of sanctification" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 42). Therefore, "if we want to achieve holiness -- in spite of personal shortcomings and miseries which will last as long as we live -- we must make an effort, with God's grace, to practice charity, which is the fullness of the law and the bond of perfection. Charity is not something abstract, it entails a real, complete, self-giving to the service of God and all men -- to the service of that God who speaks to us in the silence of prayer and in the hubbub of the world and of those people whose existence is interwoven with our own. By living charity -- Love -- we live all the human and supernatural virtues required of a Christian" (St. J. Escriva, "Conversations", 62).
15. The "peace of Christ" is that which flows from the new order of grace which he has established; grace gives man direct access to God and therefore to that peace he so much yearns for. "Thou has made us for thyself and our hearts are restless till they rest in thee" (St Augustine, "Confessions", 1, 1). This is not a peace the world can give (cf. Jn 14:27), because it is not a function of purely material progress or well-being, nor does it derive from the sort of peace that should obtain among nations. "Peace on earth, which men of every era have most eagerly yearned for, can be firmly established only if the order laid down by God is dutifully observed" (John XXIII, "Pacem In Terris", 1).
The peace of Christ, then, is "a peace that comes from knowing that our Father God loves us, and that we are made one with Christ. It results from being under the protection of the Virgin, our Lady, and assisted by St Joseph. This is the great light that illuminates our lives. In the midst of difficulties and of our personal failings, it encourages us to keep up our effort" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 22).
16. "The word of Christ": the whole corpus of our Lord's teachings, of which the Apostles are accredited witnesses. This should be ever-present to the Christian's soul and "dwell...richly" in him, imbuing everything he does: the word of Christ is the best nourishment of one's life of prayer and an inexhaustible source of practical teaching; and it is to be found in the first instance in the books of the New Testament. St John Chrysostom says that these writings "are teachers which never cease to instruct us [...]. Open these books. What a treasury of good remedies they contain! [...]. All you need do is look at the book, read it and remember well the wise teachings therein. The source of all our evils is our ignorance of the sacred books" ("Hom. on Col, ad loc.").
St Paul also reminds us that our appreciation should lead us to glorify the Lord with songs of joy and gratitude. We can use ready-made hymns for this purpose, and also the Psalms, which the Church has always used in its liturgy to praise God and to nourish the spiritual life. "Just as the mouth savors good food, so does the heart savor the Psalms" (St Bernard, "Sermons on the Song of Songs", 7, 5).
See the note on Eph 5:19.
17. All genuinely human things can and should be sanctified (cf. 1 Cor 10:31), by being done perfectly and for love of God.
The Second Vatican Council has recalled this teaching: "Lay people [...], while meeting their human obligations in the ordinary conditions of life, should not separate their union with Christ from their ordinary life; through the very performance of their tasks, which are God's will for them, they actually promote the growth of their union with him. This is the path along which lay people must advance, fervently, joyfully" ("Apostolicam Actuositatem", 4).
This teaching was very much part of the message and life of the founder of Opus Dei: "I assure you, my children, that when a Christian carries out with love the most insignificant everyday action, that action overflows with the transcendence of God. That is why I have told you repeatedly, and hammered away once and again on the idea, that the Christian vocation consists in making heroic verse out of the prose of each day. Heaven and earth seem to merge, my children, on the horizon. But where they really meet is in your hearts, when you sanctify your everyday lives" ("Conversations", 116).
The Second Vatican Council also sees in this passage of Colossians a basis for ecumenical dialogue with non-Catholics: "And if in moral matters there are many Christians who do not always understand the Gospel in the same way as Catholics, and do not admit the same solutions for the more difficult problems of modern society, they nevertheless want to cling to Christ's word as the source of Christian virtue and to obey the command of the Apostle: [Col 3:17 follows]" ("Unitatis Redintegratio", 23).
18-19. In the period when this epistle was written, especially in the East, women were regarded as inferior to men. St Paul does not make a direct attack on the customs of his time, but the way he focuses the question of the role of women provides the elements of an answer to it. He identifies what a woman's role in the family should be: it is true that the husband has an important part to play, but the wife also has a role to perform and one which is non-transferable. The wife is not the husband's slave: she is his equal in dignity and must be treated by him with respect and sincere love. It is taken for granted that the family needs a center of authority, and that this authority belongs to the husband, in accordance with God's design (cf. 1 Cor 11:3, 12-14). "The place and task of the father in and for the family is of unique and irreplaceable importance [...]. In revealing and in reliving on earth the very fatherhood of God (cf. Eph 3:15), a man is called upon to ensure the harmonious and united development of all the members of the family" (John Paul II, "Familiaris Consortio", 25).
God gave Eve to Adam as his inseparable companion and complement (cf. Gen 2:18); she was therefore duty-bound to live in peace with him. Man and woman have different, though complementary, roles in family life; they are equal in dignity, by virtue of the fact that they are human persons: "The unity of marriage, distinctly recognized by our Lord, is made clear in the equal personal dignity which must be accorded to man and woman in mutual and unreserved affection" (Vatican II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 49).
Therefore, a husband should make a special effort to love and respect his wife: "You are not her master", writes Saint Ambrose, "but her husband; she was not given to you to be your slave, but your wife [...]. Reciprocate her attentiveness to you and be grateful to her for her love" ("Exameron", 5, 7, 19 quoted in "Familiaris Consortio", 25).
See the note on Eph 5:22-24 and 5:25-33.
20-21. Children should obey their parents in everything, as God has commanded (cf. Ex 20:12; Sir 3:8ff) -- a commandment which shows that this is something which is part of human nature. Obviously for a child's obedience to "please the Lord" it must not involve doing anything that is opposed to God's will, for Jesus taught that "he who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me" (Mt 10:37).
For their part, parents must do everything they can to bring up their children well. In every family there should be an "educational exchange between parents and children (cf. Eph 6:1-4; Col 3:20f) in which each gives and receives. By means of love, respect and obedience towards their parents, children offer their specific and irreplaceable contribution to the construction of an authentically human and Christian family (cf. "Gaudium Et Spes", 48). They will be aided in this if parents exercise their unrenounceable authority as a true and proper 'ministry', that is, as a service to the human and Christian well-being of their children, and in particular as a service aimed at helping them acquire a truly responsible freedom" ("Familiaris Consortio", 21).
See the note on Eph 6:1-4.
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From: 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24
We are Children of God
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[1] See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. [2] Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
Loving One Another (Continuation)
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[21] Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God; [22] and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. [23] And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. [24] All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.
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Commentary:
1-24. This entire chapter shows how moved the Apostle is when he contem- plates the marvelous gift of divine filiation. The Holy Spirit, who is the author of all Sacred Scripture, has desired John to pass on to us this unique revelation: we are children of God (v. 1).
It is not easy to divide the chapter into sections, because the style is very cyclic and colloquial and includes many repetitions and further thoughts which make for great vividness and freshness. However, we can distinguish an opening proclamation of the central message (vv. 1-2) and emphasis on two requirements of divine filiation -- rejection of sin in any shape or form (vv. 3-10), and brotherly love lived to the full (vv. 11-24).
1. "We should be called children of God": the original Hebrew expression, which reads "we are called...", is also used by our Lord in the Beatitudes (cf. Mt 5:9): "to be called" means the same as "to be called by God"; and in the language of the Bible, when God gives someone a name he is not simply conferring a title but is causing the thing that the name indicates (cf., e.g., Gen 17:5), for the word of God is efficacious, it does what it says it will do; hence, St John's adding: "and so we are."
Therefore, it is not just a matter of a metaphorical title, or a legal fiction, or adoption human-style: divine filiation is an essential feature of a Christian's life, a marvelous fact whereby God gratuitously gives men a strictly supernatural dignity, an intimacy with God whereby they are "domestici Dei", "members of the household of God" (Eph 2:19). This explains the tone of amazement and joy with which St John passes on this revelation.
This sense of divine filiation is one of the central points in the spirituality of Opus Dei. Its founder wrote: "We do not exist in order to pursue just any happiness. We have been called to penetrate the intimacy of God's own life, to know and love God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and to love also -- in that same love of the one God in three divine Persons -- the angels and all men.
"This is the great boldness of the Christian faith--to proclaim the value and dignity of human nature and to affirm that we have been created to obtain the dignity of children of God, through the grace that raises us up to a supernatural level. An incredible boldness it would be, were it not founded on the promise of salvation given us by God the Father, confirmed by the blood of Christ, and reaffirmed and made possible by the constant action of the Holy Spirit" ("Christ Is Passing By", 133).
"The world does not know us, (because) it did not know him": these words are reminiscent of our Lord's at the Last Supper: "the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor me" (Jn 16:2-3). Divine filiation brings with it communion and a mysterious identification between Christ and the Christian.
2. The indescribable gift of divine filiation, which the world does not know (v. 1), is not fully experienced by Christians, because the seeds of divine life which it contains will only reach their full growth in eternal life, when we see him "as he is", "face to face" (1 Cor 13:12); "this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" (Jn 17:3). In that direct sight of God as he is, and of all things in God, the life of grace and divine filiation achieve their full growth. Man is not naturally able to see God face to face; he needs to be enlightened by a special light, which is given the technical theological name of "lumen gloriae", light of glory. This does not allow him to "take in" all God (no created thing could do that), but it does allow him to look at God directly.
Commenting on this verse, the "St Pius V Catechism" explains that "beatitude consists of two things--that we shall behold God such as he is in his own nature and substance; and that we ourselves shall become, as it were, gods. For those who enjoy God while they retain their own nature, assume a certain admirable and almost divine form, so as to seem gods rather than men" (I, 13, 7).
"When he appears": two interpretations are possible, given that in Greek the verb has no subject: "when (what we shall be) is revealed we shall be as he is"; or, as the New Vulgate translates it, "when he (Christ) is revealed we will be like him (Christ)". The second interpretation is the more likely.
19-22. The Apostle reassures us: God knows everything; not only does he know our sins and our frailties, he also knows our repentance and our good desires, and he understands and forgives us (St Peter, on the Lake of Tiberias, made the same confession to Jesus: "Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you": Jn 21:17).
St John's teaching on divine mercy is very clear: if our conscience tells us we have done wrong, we can seek forgiveness and strengthen our hope in God; if our conscience does not accuse us, our confidence in God is ardent and bold, like that of a child who has loving experience of his Father's tenderness. The love of God is mightier than our sins, Pope John Paul II reminds us: "When we realize that God's love for us does not cease in the face of our sin or recoil before our offenses, but becomes even more attentive and generous; when we realize that this love went so far as to cause the Passion and Death of the Word made flesh who consented to redeem us at the price of his own blood, then we exclaim in gratitude: 'Yes, the Lord is rich in mercy', and even: 'The Lord is mercy"' ("Reconciliatio Et Paenitentia", 22).
This confidence in God makes for confidence in prayer: "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you" (Jn 15:7; cf. 14:13f; 16:23, 26-27).
23-24. The commandments of God are summed up here in terms of love for Jesus and love for the brethren. "We cannot rightly love one another unless we believe in Christ; nor can we truly believe in the name of Jesus Christ without brotherly love" (St Bede, "In I Epist. S. Ioannis, ad loc."). Faith and love cannot be separated (cf. Gal 5:6); our Lord himself told us what would mark his disciples out -- their love for one another (Jn 13:34-35).
Keeping the commandments confirms to the Christian that he is abiding in God: "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love" (Jn 15:10). More- over, it ensures that God abides in his soul, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit: "If you love me you will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever" (Jn 14:15-16).
"May God be your house and you God's; dwell in God that God may dwell in you. God dwells in you to support you; you dwell in God in order not to fall. Keep the commandments, have charity" ("In I Epist. S. loannis, ad loc.").
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From: Luke 2:41-52
The Finding in the Temple
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[41] Now his (Jesus's) parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. [42] And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; [43] and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, [44] but supposing him to be in the company they went a day's journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; [45] and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. [46] And after three days they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; [47] and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. [48] And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously." [49] And he said to them, "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house ?" [50] And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them.
The Hidden Life of Jesus at Nazareth
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[51] And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. [52] And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.
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Commentary:
41. Only St Luke (2:41-50) reports the event of the Child Jesus being lost and then found in the temple, which we contemplate in the "Fifth Joyful Mystery" of the Rosary.
Only males aged twelve and upwards were required to make this journey. Nazareth is about 100 km (60 miles) from Jerusalem as the crow flies, but the hilly nature of the country would have made it a trip of 140 km.
43-44. On pilgrimages to Jerusalem, the Jews used to go in two groups -- one of men, the other of women. Children could go with either group. This explains how they could go a day's journey before they discovered the Child was missing when the families regrouped to camp.
"Mary is crying. In vain you and I have run from group to group, from caravan to caravan. No one has seen him. Joseph, after fruitless attempts to keep from crying, cries too.... And you.... And I.
'Being a common little fellow, I cry my eyes out and wail to heaven and earth..., to make up for the times when I lost him through my own fault and did not cry" (St. J. Escriva, "Holy Rosary", Fifth Joyful Mystery).
45. The concern which Mary and Joseph show in looking for the Child should encourage us always to seek Jesus out, particularly if we lose him through sin. "Jesus, may I never lose you again.... Now you and I are united in misfortune and grief, as were united in sin. And from the depths of our being comes sighs of heartfelt sorrow and burning phrases which the pen cannot and should not record" ("Holy Rosary", Fifth Joyful Mystery).
46-47. The Child Jesus must have been in the courtyard of the temple, which was where the teachers usually taught. Listeners used to sit at their feet, now and again asking questions and responding to them. This was what Jesus did, but his questions and answers attracted the teachers' attention, he was so wise and well-informed.
48. Ever since the Annunciation our Lady had known that the Child Jesus was God. This faith was the basis of her generous fidelity throughout her life -- but there was no reason why it should include detailed knowledge of all the sacrifices God would ask of her, nor of how Christ would go about his mission of redemption: that was something she would discover as time went by, contemplating her Son's life.
49. Christ's reply is a form of explanation. His words--his first words to be recorded in the Gospel--clearly show his divine Sonship; and they also show his determination to fulfill the will of his Eternal Father. "He does not upbraid them -- Mary and Joseph--for searching for their son, but he raises the eyes of their souls to appreciate what he owes him whose Eternal Son he is" (St Bede, "In Lucae Evangelium Expositio, in loc."). Jesus teaches us that over and above any human authority, even that of our parents, there is the primary duty to do the will of God. "And once we are consoled by the joy of finding Jesus -- three days he was gone! -- debating with the teachers of Israel (Lk 2:46), you and I shall be left deeply impressed by the duty to leave our home and family to serve our heavenly Father" (St. J. Escriva, "Holy Rosary", Fifth Joyful Mystery"). See note on Mt 10:34-37.
50. We must remember that Jesus knew in detail the whole course his earthly life would take from his conception onwards (cf. note on Lk 2:52). This is shown by what he says in reply to his parents. Mary and Joseph realized that his reply contained a deeper meaning which they did not grasp. They grew to understand it as the life of their Child unfolded. Mary's and Joseph's faith and their reverence towards the Child led them not to ask any further questions but to reflect on Jesus' words and behavior in this instance, as they had done so on other occasions.
51. The Gospel sums up Jesus' life in Nazareth in just three words: "erat subditus illis", he was obedient to them. "Jesus obeys, and he obeys Joseph and Mary. God has come to the world to obey, and to obey creatures. Admittedly they are very perfect creatures -- Holy Mary, our mother, greater than whom God alone; and that most chaste man Joseph. But they are only creatures, and yet Jesus, who is God, obeyed them. We have to love God so as to love his will and desire to respond to his calls. They come to us through the duties of our ordinary life -- duties of state, profession, work, family, social life, our own and other people's difficulties, friendship, eagerness to do what is right and just" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 17).
Jesus lived like any other inhabitant of Nazareth, working at the same trade as St Joseph and earning his living by the sweat of his brow. "His hidden years are not without significance, nor were they simply a preparation for the years which were to come after--those of his public life. Since 1928 I have understood clearly that God wants our Lord's whole life to be an example for Christians. I saw this with special reference to his hidden life, the years he spent working side by side with ordinary men. Our Lord wants many people to ratify their vocation during years of quiet, unspectacular living. Obeying God's will always means leaving our selfishness behind, but there is no reason why it should entail cutting ourselves off from the normal life of ordinary people who share the same status, work and social position with us.
"I dream--and the dream has come true--of multitudes of God's children, sanctifying themselves as ordinary citizens, sharing the ambitions and endeavors of their colleagues and friends. I want to shout to them about this divine truth: If you are there in the middle of ordinary life, it doesn't mean Christ has forgotten about you or hasn't called you. He has invited you to stay among the activities and concerns of the world. He wants you to know that your human vocation, your profession, your talents, are not omitted from his divine plans. He has sanctified them and made them a most acceptable offering to his Father" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 20).
52. As far as his human nature was concerned Jesus matured like anyone else. His growth in wisdom should be seen as referring to experiential knowledge -- knowledge acquired by his mind from sense experience and general experience of life. It can also be taken as referring to the external expression of his wisdom; in this sense everything he did was done perfectly, in keeping with whatever age he was at the time.
As man Jesus had three kinds of knowledge: 1. "The knowledge of the blessed" (vision of the divine essence) by virtue of the hypostatic union (the union of his human nature with his divine nature in the one person of the Word). This knowledge did not allow of any increase. 2. "Infused knowledge", which perfected his intellect and which meant that he knew everything, even hidden things; thus he was able to read men's hearts. Here again his knowledge was complete; it could not grow. 3. "Acquired knowledge": he acquired new knowledge through sense experience and reflection; logically, this knowledge increased as time went by.
As far as grace, in the strict sense of the word, was concerned, Jesus could not grow. From the first instant of his conception he possessed grace in all its fullness because he was true God by virtue of the hypostatic union. As St Thomas explains: "The end of grace is the union of the rational creature with God. But there can neither be nor be conceived a greater union of the rational creature with God than that which is in the person of Christ [...]. Hence it is clear that the grace of Christ cannot be increased on the part of grace. But neither can it be increased on the part of Christ, since Christ as man was a true and full 'comprehensor from the first instant of his conception. Hence there could have been no increase of grace in him" ("Summa Theologiae", Ill, q.7, a.12).
However, we can speak of his growing in grace in the sense of the "effects" of grace. In the last analysis, this matter is one of the mysteries of our faith, which our minds cannot fully grasp. How small God would be if we were able fully to fathom this mystery! That Christ should conceal his infinite power and wisdom by becoming a Child teaches our pride a great lesson.
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
Catechism Links
CCC 531-534: the Holy Family
CCC 1655-1658, 2204-2206: the Christian family, a domestic Church
CCC 2214-2233: duties of family members
CCC 534, 583, 2599: the Finding in the Temple
CCC 64, 489, 2578: Hannah and Samuel
CCC 1, 104, 239, 1692, 1709, 2009, 2736: we are God’s children now
CCC 163, 1023, 1161, 2519, 2772: we shall see him face to face and be like him
CCC Cross Reference:
Sir 3:2-6 2218; Sir 3:12 2218
1 Sm 1 489
Ps 84:3 1770
Col 3:14 815, 1827, 1844; Col 3:16-17 1156, 2633; Col 3:16 2641; Col 3:18-21 2204; Col 3:20 2217; Col 3:21 2286
1 Jn 3 2822; 1 Jn 3:1 1692; 1 Jn 3:2 163, 1023, 1161, 1720, 2519, 2772; 1 Jn 3:21 2778; 1 Jn 3:22 2631
Lk 2:41-52 534; Lk 2:41 583; Lk 2:46-49 583; Lk 2:48-49 503; Lk 2:49 2599; Lk 2:51-52 531; Lk 2:51 517, 2196, 2599; Lk 2:52 472
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Reading 1:
Sir 3:2-6, 12-14
God sets a father in honor over his children;
a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.
Whoever honors his father atones for sins,
and preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard;
he stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children,
and, when he prays, is heard.
Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;
he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.
My son, take care of your father when he is old;
grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;
revile him not all the days of his life;
kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
firmly planted against the debt of your sins
—a house raised in justice to you.
Or
First Reading: 1 Sm 1:20-22, 24-28
In those days Hannah conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son
whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him.
The next time her husband Elkanah was going up
with the rest of his household
to offer the customary sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vows,
Hannah did not go, explaining to her husband,
“Once the child is weaned,
I will take him to appear before the LORD
and to remain there forever;
I will offer him as a perpetual nazirite.”
Once Samuel was weaned, Hannah brought him up with her,
along with a three-year-old bull,
an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine,
and presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh.
After the boy’s father had sacrificed the young bull,
Hannah, his mother, approached Eli and said:
“Pardon, my lord!
As you live, my lord,
I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD.
I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request.
Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD;
as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.”
Hannah left Samuel there.
Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R. (cf. 1) Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
OR:
Ps 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10
R. (cf. 5a) Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!
My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
Happy they who dwell in your house!
Continually they praise you.
Happy the men whose strength you are!
Their hearts are set upon the pilgrimage.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
O LORD of hosts, hear our prayer;
hearken, O God of Jacob!
O God, behold our shield,
and look upon the face of your anointed.
R. Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
Reading II
Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17
Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, be subordinate to your husbands,
as is proper in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives,
and avoid any bitterness toward them.
Children, obey your parents in everything,
for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children,
so they may not become discouraged.
Or
Second Reading: 1 Jn 3:1-2, 21-24
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
And so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit he gave us.
Gospel:
Lk 2:41-52
Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast
of Passover,
and when he was twelve years old,
they went up according to festival custom.
After they had completed its days, as they were returning,
the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,
but his parents did not know it.
Thinking that he was in the caravan,
they journeyed for a day
and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
but not finding him,
they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions,
and all who heard him were astounded
at his understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him,
they were astonished,
and his mother said to him,
“Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”
And he said to them,
“Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
But they did not understand what he said to them.
He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was obedient to them;
and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor
before God and man.
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading Ecclesiasticus 3:3-7,14-17
The Lord honors the father in his children,
and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons.
Whoever respects his father is atoning for his sins,
he who honors his mother is like someone amassing a fortune.
Whoever respects his father will be happy with children of his own,
he shall be heard on the day when he prays.
Long life comes to him who honors his father,
he who sets his mother at ease is showing obedience to the Lord.
My son, support your father in his old age,
do not grieve him during his life.
Even if his mind should fail, show him sympathy,
do not despise him in your health and strength;
for kindness to a father shall not be forgotten
but will serve as reparation for your sins.
Alternative first reading 1 Samuel 1:20-22,24-28
Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son, and called him Samuel ‘since’ she said ‘I asked the Lord for him.’
When a year had gone by, the husband Elkanah went up again with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow. Hannah, however, did not go up, having said to her husband, ‘Not before the child is weaned. Then I will bring him and present him before the Lord and he shall stay there for ever.’
When she had weaned him, she took him up with her together with a three-year old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the temple of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was with them. They slaughtered the bull and the child’s mother came to Eli. She said, ‘If you please, my lord. As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. This is the child I prayed for, and the Lord granted me what I asked him. Now I make him over to the Lord for the whole of his life. He is made over to the Lord.’
Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 127(128):1-5
O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways!
O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!
By the labour of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper.
O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways!
Your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.
O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways!
Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways!
Alternative Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 83(84):2-3,5-6,9-10
They are happy who dwell in your house, O Lord.
How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord, God of hosts.
My soul is longing and yearning,
is yearning for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and my soul ring out their joy
to God, the living God.
They are happy who dwell in your house, O Lord.
They are happy, who dwell in your house,
for ever singing your praise.
They are happy, whose strength is in you,
in whose hearts are the roads to Zion.
They are happy who dwell in your house, O Lord.
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer,
give ear, O God of Jacob.
Turn your eyes, O God, our shield,
look on the face of your anointed.
They are happy who dwell in your house, O Lord.
Second reading Colossians 3:12-21
You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful.
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, give way to your husbands, as you should in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives and treat them with gentleness. Children, be obedient to your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord. Parents, never drive your children to resentment or you will make them feel frustrated.
Alternative second reading Colossians 3:12-17
You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful.
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Alternative second reading 1 John 3:1-2,21-24
Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us,
by letting us be called God’s children;
and that is what we are.
Because the world refused to acknowledge him,
therefore it does not acknowledge us.
My dear people, we are already the children of God
but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed;
all we know is, that when it is revealed
we shall be like him
because we shall see him as he really is.
My dear people,
if we cannot be condemned by our own conscience,
we need not be afraid in God’s presence,
and whatever we ask him,
we shall receive,
because we keep his commandments
and live the kind of life that he wants.
His commandments are these:
that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ
and that we love one another
as he told us to.
Whoever keeps his commandments
lives in God and God lives in him.
We know that he lives in us
by the Spirit that he has given us.
Gospel Luke 2:41-52
Every year the parents of Jesus used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual. When they were on their way home after the feast, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was with the caravan, and it was only after a day’s journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances. When they failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere.
Three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the doctors, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, ‘My child, why have, you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.’ ‘Why were you looking for me?’ he replied ‘Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father’s affairs?’ But they did not understand what he meant.
He then went down with them and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. His mother stored up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and men.
Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible
Feast: The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
From: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
Duties Towards Parents
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[2] For the Lord honored the father above the children, and he confirmed the right of the mother over her sons. [3] Whoever honors his father atones for sins, [4] and whoever glorifies his mother is like one who lays up treasure. [5] Whoever honors his father will he gladdened by his own children, and when he prays he will he heard. [6] Whoever glorifies his father will have long life, and whoever obeys the Lord will refresh his mother.
[12] O son, help your father in his old age, and do not grieve him as long as he lives; [13] even if he is lacking in understanding, show forbearance; in all your strength do not despise him. [14] For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, and against your sins it will be credited to you.
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Commentary:
3:1-16:23. Throughout the book each doctrinal passage is followed by a section to do with practical applications, sapiential thoughts on moral conduct, eulogies of virtues and sapiential advice on where to seek things that are truly good, etc. This is the first such section. In it the reader will find an exhortation to prudence in all its various forms.
3:1-16. Traditional wisdom encourages people to be observant and to reflect on life in order to discover the best route to happiness. Here it focuses on the relationship between children and their parents: honoring one's parents brings blessings.
However, Ben Sirach's viewpoint is primarily a religious one. "Whoever fears the Lord will honor his father" (v. 7, RSV note m). The Decalogue laid this down very clearly: "Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you; that your day may be prolonged, and that it may go well with you, in the land ..." (Deut 5:16; cf. Ex 20:12), and these verses are a valuable commentary that is generous in its praise of those who attend to that commandment. Very appropriately, the Church uses these verses as the first reading on the feast of the Holy Family, for God honors Mary and St Joseph by entrusting Jesus to their care.
Finally (cf. vv. 12-26), the passage dwells on children's duties to their parents when they can no longer look after themselves: The fourth commandment re- minds grown children of their "responsibilities toward their parents". As much as they can, they must give them material and moral support in old age and in times of illness, loneliness or distress. Jesus recalls this duty of gratitude (cf. Mk 7:10-12)" ("Catechism of the Catholic Church", 2218).
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From: 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28
Birth of Samuel (conclusion)
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[20] [A]nd in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, "I have asked him of the LORD."
Consecration of Samuel
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[21] And the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and to pay his vow. [22] But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, "As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the LORD, and abide there for ever."
[24] And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine; and she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh; and the child was young. [25] Then they slew the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. [26] And she said, "Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the LORD. [27] For this child I prayed; and the LORD has granted me my petition which I made to him. [28] Therefore I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD."
And they worshipped the LORD there.
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Commentary:
1:1-7:17. The books of Samuel begin with an account of the birth of the man from whom they take their name, that is, Samuel, who will become a judge of Israel and a prophet. The beginning is like the book of Exodus, which also begins with a birth -- that of Moses. In fact, many of Moses' features apply to Samuel: just as Moses inaugurated a new and very important stage in the history of the people, so Samuel marks the start of the monarchical period, which will forever leave its imprint on the religious profile of Israel.
The story of Samuel comprises only the first part of 1 Samuel, the first seven chapters, which also contain the history of the ark. The narrative includes three distinct accounts arranged in such a way that the first and last have the same protagonist -- the birth, calling and activity of Samuel as a prophet (chaps. 1-3), the history of the ark (chaps. 4-6), and then Samuel's activity as a judge (chap. 7). Although these narratives may have been independent originally, in the final biblical text they form a perfect unity in doctrinal terms, from the point of view of the setting of events (the shrine at Shiloh), and in the identity of their protagonists, Samuel and the priests, the sons of Eli. The shrine at Shiloh, which was located between Bethel and Shechem and which was a main centre of worship in the era of the judges (Judg 21:19-21), acquires special importance at this point: Shiloh will be where the monarchical power begins, and its splendour will transfer to the temple of Jerusalem when the ark moves there.
The sons of Eli were the last priests of Shiloh. Whereas Samuel was perfectly faithful to the will of God, the Sons of Eli had gradually corrupted the practices of their priestly function; with their death, the temple at Shiloh ceases to have any importance.
The doctrinal thread moving through the three episodes is God's active intervention in all these important events in the life of the people: to him is due the prodigy of Samuel's birth (1:1-20) -- Samuel, the man chosen to open the way to the monarchy; it is God who exposes the sin of the sons of Eli (chap. 2) and initiates the charming dialogue in which Samuel receives his calling (chap. 3). In the episode of the ark, it is the Lord who punishes his people by taking away the ark, the sign of his presence (chap. 4); it is he who visits countless misfortunes on the Philistines who have taken possession of the ark (chap. 5) and it is he who forces them to return it to Israel, which receives it with delight (chap. 6). Finally, the Lord makes Samuel a judge over his people (chap. 5), able to exercise his function at all the shrines of Israel -- in Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah (7:15).
From the very start, the book of Samuel is a sort of religious interpretation of history, in the sense that it puts more emphasis on the meaning of the events it narrates than on their chronological order or their geographical situation. Samuel is a figure of Christ who will initiate the final stage of salvation through his complete obedience to the will of God (cf. Phil 2:8).
1:1-28. Samuel's birth is described with all the elements denoting a miraculous event, emphasizing divine intervention and the child's importance. With no hope of a human solution, a childless woman, humiliated by her husband's (other) fertile wife, seeks a way out of her anguish by asking God, her only hope, to give her a son. Her husband loves her, but he cannot understand her (v. 8); Eli, the priest and head of the shrine at Shiloh, comes to bless her but even he cannot understand her (vv. 15-17). God is the only one who listens to her, and he accepts the vow she has made to him (v. 11). Hannah follows in the line of Sarah, Rachel and the mother of Samson -- other women in whom the action of God could be seen very clearly when he took away the stigma of their barrenness. But, above all, she is the prototype of the devout woman who perseveres in prayer, convinced that it will be heard. "Why is it necessary to list here all those who, by praying as they ought to do, won from God the greatest gifts? For it would be easy for anyone to take an abundant sample of cases based in holy Scripture. Hannah gave birth to Samuel, who was to be compared with Moses himself (cf. Jer 15:1), because although she was sterile, she had faith and prayed to the Lord (1 Sam 1:9ff). [...]
How many favours each of us could tell of if we recalled with gratitude the gifts we have received in order to praise God for them! Once they have been watered by the grace of the Holy Spirit through constant prayer, souls that have gone for a long time without bearing fruit, sterile in the most noble part of their being and with the signs of death on their souls, think wholesome thoughts and are filled with the knowledge of the truth" (Origen, "De Oratione", 13, 2-3). Hannah, who will bear Samuel in her womb, is a figure of Mary and also "a symbol of the Church which carries the Lord. Her prayer is not clamorous, rather it is calm and refined; she prays in the depths of her heart because she knows that God listens to her there" (St Cyprian, "De Oratione Dominica", 5).
Samuel comes into the world as a gift from God; he is the one who was "asked for of the Lord" (cf. v. 20), according to a popular etymology of his name. His mission on earth will be as exceptional as his birth; Hannah presents him at the shrine: "as long as he lives he is lent to the Lord" (v. 28). Samuel is brought up by the priest at the shrine of Shiloh (cf. Judg 18:31; 21:19), that is, within the ancient institutions of the time of the judges; thus, the new institutions he will establish do not imply any break with or rejection of what went before.
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From: Colossians 3:12-21
Progress in the Spiritual Life
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[12] Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, [13] forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. [14] And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. [15] And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. [16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. [17] And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Morals in Family Life
------------------------------
[18] Wives, be subject to your husband as is fitting in the Lord. [19] Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. [20] Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. [21] Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
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Commentary:
12-13. Putting on the new nature is not just an external action, like putting on different clothes. It is a transfiguration involving the whole person -- soul and body, mind and will. This interior change begins to operate when one makes a firm resolution to lead a fully Christian life; but it calls for an on-going effort, day in day out, to practice all the virtues. "Conversion is something momentary; sanctification is the work of a lifetime. The divine seed of charity, which God has sown in our souls, wants to grow, to express itself in action, to yield results which continually coincide with what God wants. Therefore, we must be ready to begin again, to find again -- in new situations -- the light and the stimulus of our first conversion" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 58).
The virtues which the Apostle lists here as characteristic of the new man are all expressions, in one way or another, of charity, which "binds everything together in total harmony" (v. 14). Meekness, patience, forgiveness and gratefulness all reflect an essential virtue -- humility. Only a humble person can be forgiving and truly appreciative, because only he realizes that everything he has comes from God. This realization leads him to be understanding towards his neighbor, forgiving him as often as needs be; by acting in this way he is proving the genuineness of his faith and love.
See the note on Eph 4:20-24.
14. The comparison of the new nature to a new outfit is extended here by a further metaphor: charity is the belt which keeps everything together. Without it the other virtues would fall apart: supernatural virtue could not survive (cf. 1 Cor 13:1- 3). St Francis de Sales uses simple examples to explain this truth: "Without cement and mortar, which knits the bricks together and strengthens the walls, the entire building is bound to collapse; a human body would simply disintegrate unless it had nerves, muscles and tendons; and if charity were absent, virtues simply could not stay together" (St Francis de Sales, "Treatise on the Love of God", 11, 9).
"Love, as the bond of perfection and fullness of the law (cf. Col 3:14; Rom 13:10), governs, imbues, and perfects all the means of sanctification" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 42). Therefore, "if we want to achieve holiness -- in spite of personal shortcomings and miseries which will last as long as we live -- we must make an effort, with God's grace, to practice charity, which is the fullness of the law and the bond of perfection. Charity is not something abstract, it entails a real, complete, self-giving to the service of God and all men -- to the service of that God who speaks to us in the silence of prayer and in the hubbub of the world and of those people whose existence is interwoven with our own. By living charity -- Love -- we live all the human and supernatural virtues required of a Christian" (St. J. Escriva, "Conversations", 62).
15. The "peace of Christ" is that which flows from the new order of grace which he has established; grace gives man direct access to God and therefore to that peace he so much yearns for. "Thou has made us for thyself and our hearts are restless till they rest in thee" (St Augustine, "Confessions", 1, 1). This is not a peace the world can give (cf. Jn 14:27), because it is not a function of purely material progress or well-being, nor does it derive from the sort of peace that should obtain among nations. "Peace on earth, which men of every era have most eagerly yearned for, can be firmly established only if the order laid down by God is dutifully observed" (John XXIII, "Pacem In Terris", 1).
The peace of Christ, then, is "a peace that comes from knowing that our Father God loves us, and that we are made one with Christ. It results from being under the protection of the Virgin, our Lady, and assisted by St Joseph. This is the great light that illuminates our lives. In the midst of difficulties and of our personal failings, it encourages us to keep up our effort" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 22).
16. "The word of Christ": the whole corpus of our Lord's teachings, of which the Apostles are accredited witnesses. This should be ever-present to the Christian's soul and "dwell...richly" in him, imbuing everything he does: the word of Christ is the best nourishment of one's life of prayer and an inexhaustible source of practical teaching; and it is to be found in the first instance in the books of the New Testament. St John Chrysostom says that these writings "are teachers which never cease to instruct us [...]. Open these books. What a treasury of good remedies they contain! [...]. All you need do is look at the book, read it and remember well the wise teachings therein. The source of all our evils is our ignorance of the sacred books" ("Hom. on Col, ad loc.").
St Paul also reminds us that our appreciation should lead us to glorify the Lord with songs of joy and gratitude. We can use ready-made hymns for this purpose, and also the Psalms, which the Church has always used in its liturgy to praise God and to nourish the spiritual life. "Just as the mouth savors good food, so does the heart savor the Psalms" (St Bernard, "Sermons on the Song of Songs", 7, 5).
See the note on Eph 5:19.
17. All genuinely human things can and should be sanctified (cf. 1 Cor 10:31), by being done perfectly and for love of God.
The Second Vatican Council has recalled this teaching: "Lay people [...], while meeting their human obligations in the ordinary conditions of life, should not separate their union with Christ from their ordinary life; through the very performance of their tasks, which are God's will for them, they actually promote the growth of their union with him. This is the path along which lay people must advance, fervently, joyfully" ("Apostolicam Actuositatem", 4).
This teaching was very much part of the message and life of the founder of Opus Dei: "I assure you, my children, that when a Christian carries out with love the most insignificant everyday action, that action overflows with the transcendence of God. That is why I have told you repeatedly, and hammered away once and again on the idea, that the Christian vocation consists in making heroic verse out of the prose of each day. Heaven and earth seem to merge, my children, on the horizon. But where they really meet is in your hearts, when you sanctify your everyday lives" ("Conversations", 116).
The Second Vatican Council also sees in this passage of Colossians a basis for ecumenical dialogue with non-Catholics: "And if in moral matters there are many Christians who do not always understand the Gospel in the same way as Catholics, and do not admit the same solutions for the more difficult problems of modern society, they nevertheless want to cling to Christ's word as the source of Christian virtue and to obey the command of the Apostle: [Col 3:17 follows]" ("Unitatis Redintegratio", 23).
18-19. In the period when this epistle was written, especially in the East, women were regarded as inferior to men. St Paul does not make a direct attack on the customs of his time, but the way he focuses the question of the role of women provides the elements of an answer to it. He identifies what a woman's role in the family should be: it is true that the husband has an important part to play, but the wife also has a role to perform and one which is non-transferable. The wife is not the husband's slave: she is his equal in dignity and must be treated by him with respect and sincere love. It is taken for granted that the family needs a center of authority, and that this authority belongs to the husband, in accordance with God's design (cf. 1 Cor 11:3, 12-14). "The place and task of the father in and for the family is of unique and irreplaceable importance [...]. In revealing and in reliving on earth the very fatherhood of God (cf. Eph 3:15), a man is called upon to ensure the harmonious and united development of all the members of the family" (John Paul II, "Familiaris Consortio", 25).
God gave Eve to Adam as his inseparable companion and complement (cf. Gen 2:18); she was therefore duty-bound to live in peace with him. Man and woman have different, though complementary, roles in family life; they are equal in dignity, by virtue of the fact that they are human persons: "The unity of marriage, distinctly recognized by our Lord, is made clear in the equal personal dignity which must be accorded to man and woman in mutual and unreserved affection" (Vatican II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 49).
Therefore, a husband should make a special effort to love and respect his wife: "You are not her master", writes Saint Ambrose, "but her husband; she was not given to you to be your slave, but your wife [...]. Reciprocate her attentiveness to you and be grateful to her for her love" ("Exameron", 5, 7, 19 quoted in "Familiaris Consortio", 25).
See the note on Eph 5:22-24 and 5:25-33.
20-21. Children should obey their parents in everything, as God has commanded (cf. Ex 20:12; Sir 3:8ff) -- a commandment which shows that this is something which is part of human nature. Obviously for a child's obedience to "please the Lord" it must not involve doing anything that is opposed to God's will, for Jesus taught that "he who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me" (Mt 10:37).
For their part, parents must do everything they can to bring up their children well. In every family there should be an "educational exchange between parents and children (cf. Eph 6:1-4; Col 3:20f) in which each gives and receives. By means of love, respect and obedience towards their parents, children offer their specific and irreplaceable contribution to the construction of an authentically human and Christian family (cf. "Gaudium Et Spes", 48). They will be aided in this if parents exercise their unrenounceable authority as a true and proper 'ministry', that is, as a service to the human and Christian well-being of their children, and in particular as a service aimed at helping them acquire a truly responsible freedom" ("Familiaris Consortio", 21).
See the note on Eph 6:1-4.
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From: 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24
We are Children of God
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[1] See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. [2] Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
Loving One Another (Continuation)
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[21] Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God; [22] and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. [23] And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. [24] All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.
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Commentary:
1-24. This entire chapter shows how moved the Apostle is when he contem- plates the marvelous gift of divine filiation. The Holy Spirit, who is the author of all Sacred Scripture, has desired John to pass on to us this unique revelation: we are children of God (v. 1).
It is not easy to divide the chapter into sections, because the style is very cyclic and colloquial and includes many repetitions and further thoughts which make for great vividness and freshness. However, we can distinguish an opening proclamation of the central message (vv. 1-2) and emphasis on two requirements of divine filiation -- rejection of sin in any shape or form (vv. 3-10), and brotherly love lived to the full (vv. 11-24).
1. "We should be called children of God": the original Hebrew expression, which reads "we are called...", is also used by our Lord in the Beatitudes (cf. Mt 5:9): "to be called" means the same as "to be called by God"; and in the language of the Bible, when God gives someone a name he is not simply conferring a title but is causing the thing that the name indicates (cf., e.g., Gen 17:5), for the word of God is efficacious, it does what it says it will do; hence, St John's adding: "and so we are."
Therefore, it is not just a matter of a metaphorical title, or a legal fiction, or adoption human-style: divine filiation is an essential feature of a Christian's life, a marvelous fact whereby God gratuitously gives men a strictly supernatural dignity, an intimacy with God whereby they are "domestici Dei", "members of the household of God" (Eph 2:19). This explains the tone of amazement and joy with which St John passes on this revelation.
This sense of divine filiation is one of the central points in the spirituality of Opus Dei. Its founder wrote: "We do not exist in order to pursue just any happiness. We have been called to penetrate the intimacy of God's own life, to know and love God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and to love also -- in that same love of the one God in three divine Persons -- the angels and all men.
"This is the great boldness of the Christian faith--to proclaim the value and dignity of human nature and to affirm that we have been created to obtain the dignity of children of God, through the grace that raises us up to a supernatural level. An incredible boldness it would be, were it not founded on the promise of salvation given us by God the Father, confirmed by the blood of Christ, and reaffirmed and made possible by the constant action of the Holy Spirit" ("Christ Is Passing By", 133).
"The world does not know us, (because) it did not know him": these words are reminiscent of our Lord's at the Last Supper: "the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor me" (Jn 16:2-3). Divine filiation brings with it communion and a mysterious identification between Christ and the Christian.
2. The indescribable gift of divine filiation, which the world does not know (v. 1), is not fully experienced by Christians, because the seeds of divine life which it contains will only reach their full growth in eternal life, when we see him "as he is", "face to face" (1 Cor 13:12); "this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" (Jn 17:3). In that direct sight of God as he is, and of all things in God, the life of grace and divine filiation achieve their full growth. Man is not naturally able to see God face to face; he needs to be enlightened by a special light, which is given the technical theological name of "lumen gloriae", light of glory. This does not allow him to "take in" all God (no created thing could do that), but it does allow him to look at God directly.
Commenting on this verse, the "St Pius V Catechism" explains that "beatitude consists of two things--that we shall behold God such as he is in his own nature and substance; and that we ourselves shall become, as it were, gods. For those who enjoy God while they retain their own nature, assume a certain admirable and almost divine form, so as to seem gods rather than men" (I, 13, 7).
"When he appears": two interpretations are possible, given that in Greek the verb has no subject: "when (what we shall be) is revealed we shall be as he is"; or, as the New Vulgate translates it, "when he (Christ) is revealed we will be like him (Christ)". The second interpretation is the more likely.
19-22. The Apostle reassures us: God knows everything; not only does he know our sins and our frailties, he also knows our repentance and our good desires, and he understands and forgives us (St Peter, on the Lake of Tiberias, made the same confession to Jesus: "Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you": Jn 21:17).
St John's teaching on divine mercy is very clear: if our conscience tells us we have done wrong, we can seek forgiveness and strengthen our hope in God; if our conscience does not accuse us, our confidence in God is ardent and bold, like that of a child who has loving experience of his Father's tenderness. The love of God is mightier than our sins, Pope John Paul II reminds us: "When we realize that God's love for us does not cease in the face of our sin or recoil before our offenses, but becomes even more attentive and generous; when we realize that this love went so far as to cause the Passion and Death of the Word made flesh who consented to redeem us at the price of his own blood, then we exclaim in gratitude: 'Yes, the Lord is rich in mercy', and even: 'The Lord is mercy"' ("Reconciliatio Et Paenitentia", 22).
This confidence in God makes for confidence in prayer: "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you" (Jn 15:7; cf. 14:13f; 16:23, 26-27).
23-24. The commandments of God are summed up here in terms of love for Jesus and love for the brethren. "We cannot rightly love one another unless we believe in Christ; nor can we truly believe in the name of Jesus Christ without brotherly love" (St Bede, "In I Epist. S. Ioannis, ad loc."). Faith and love cannot be separated (cf. Gal 5:6); our Lord himself told us what would mark his disciples out -- their love for one another (Jn 13:34-35).
Keeping the commandments confirms to the Christian that he is abiding in God: "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love" (Jn 15:10). More- over, it ensures that God abides in his soul, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit: "If you love me you will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever" (Jn 14:15-16).
"May God be your house and you God's; dwell in God that God may dwell in you. God dwells in you to support you; you dwell in God in order not to fall. Keep the commandments, have charity" ("In I Epist. S. loannis, ad loc.").
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From: Luke 2:41-52
The Finding in the Temple
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[41] Now his (Jesus's) parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. [42] And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; [43] and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, [44] but supposing him to be in the company they went a day's journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; [45] and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. [46] And after three days they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; [47] and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. [48] And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously." [49] And he said to them, "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house ?" [50] And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them.
The Hidden Life of Jesus at Nazareth
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[51] And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. [52] And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.
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Commentary:
41. Only St Luke (2:41-50) reports the event of the Child Jesus being lost and then found in the temple, which we contemplate in the "Fifth Joyful Mystery" of the Rosary.
Only males aged twelve and upwards were required to make this journey. Nazareth is about 100 km (60 miles) from Jerusalem as the crow flies, but the hilly nature of the country would have made it a trip of 140 km.
43-44. On pilgrimages to Jerusalem, the Jews used to go in two groups -- one of men, the other of women. Children could go with either group. This explains how they could go a day's journey before they discovered the Child was missing when the families regrouped to camp.
"Mary is crying. In vain you and I have run from group to group, from caravan to caravan. No one has seen him. Joseph, after fruitless attempts to keep from crying, cries too.... And you.... And I.
'Being a common little fellow, I cry my eyes out and wail to heaven and earth..., to make up for the times when I lost him through my own fault and did not cry" (St. J. Escriva, "Holy Rosary", Fifth Joyful Mystery).
45. The concern which Mary and Joseph show in looking for the Child should encourage us always to seek Jesus out, particularly if we lose him through sin. "Jesus, may I never lose you again.... Now you and I are united in misfortune and grief, as were united in sin. And from the depths of our being comes sighs of heartfelt sorrow and burning phrases which the pen cannot and should not record" ("Holy Rosary", Fifth Joyful Mystery).
46-47. The Child Jesus must have been in the courtyard of the temple, which was where the teachers usually taught. Listeners used to sit at their feet, now and again asking questions and responding to them. This was what Jesus did, but his questions and answers attracted the teachers' attention, he was so wise and well-informed.
48. Ever since the Annunciation our Lady had known that the Child Jesus was God. This faith was the basis of her generous fidelity throughout her life -- but there was no reason why it should include detailed knowledge of all the sacrifices God would ask of her, nor of how Christ would go about his mission of redemption: that was something she would discover as time went by, contemplating her Son's life.
49. Christ's reply is a form of explanation. His words--his first words to be recorded in the Gospel--clearly show his divine Sonship; and they also show his determination to fulfill the will of his Eternal Father. "He does not upbraid them -- Mary and Joseph--for searching for their son, but he raises the eyes of their souls to appreciate what he owes him whose Eternal Son he is" (St Bede, "In Lucae Evangelium Expositio, in loc."). Jesus teaches us that over and above any human authority, even that of our parents, there is the primary duty to do the will of God. "And once we are consoled by the joy of finding Jesus -- three days he was gone! -- debating with the teachers of Israel (Lk 2:46), you and I shall be left deeply impressed by the duty to leave our home and family to serve our heavenly Father" (St. J. Escriva, "Holy Rosary", Fifth Joyful Mystery"). See note on Mt 10:34-37.
50. We must remember that Jesus knew in detail the whole course his earthly life would take from his conception onwards (cf. note on Lk 2:52). This is shown by what he says in reply to his parents. Mary and Joseph realized that his reply contained a deeper meaning which they did not grasp. They grew to understand it as the life of their Child unfolded. Mary's and Joseph's faith and their reverence towards the Child led them not to ask any further questions but to reflect on Jesus' words and behavior in this instance, as they had done so on other occasions.
51. The Gospel sums up Jesus' life in Nazareth in just three words: "erat subditus illis", he was obedient to them. "Jesus obeys, and he obeys Joseph and Mary. God has come to the world to obey, and to obey creatures. Admittedly they are very perfect creatures -- Holy Mary, our mother, greater than whom God alone; and that most chaste man Joseph. But they are only creatures, and yet Jesus, who is God, obeyed them. We have to love God so as to love his will and desire to respond to his calls. They come to us through the duties of our ordinary life -- duties of state, profession, work, family, social life, our own and other people's difficulties, friendship, eagerness to do what is right and just" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 17).
Jesus lived like any other inhabitant of Nazareth, working at the same trade as St Joseph and earning his living by the sweat of his brow. "His hidden years are not without significance, nor were they simply a preparation for the years which were to come after--those of his public life. Since 1928 I have understood clearly that God wants our Lord's whole life to be an example for Christians. I saw this with special reference to his hidden life, the years he spent working side by side with ordinary men. Our Lord wants many people to ratify their vocation during years of quiet, unspectacular living. Obeying God's will always means leaving our selfishness behind, but there is no reason why it should entail cutting ourselves off from the normal life of ordinary people who share the same status, work and social position with us.
"I dream--and the dream has come true--of multitudes of God's children, sanctifying themselves as ordinary citizens, sharing the ambitions and endeavors of their colleagues and friends. I want to shout to them about this divine truth: If you are there in the middle of ordinary life, it doesn't mean Christ has forgotten about you or hasn't called you. He has invited you to stay among the activities and concerns of the world. He wants you to know that your human vocation, your profession, your talents, are not omitted from his divine plans. He has sanctified them and made them a most acceptable offering to his Father" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 20).
52. As far as his human nature was concerned Jesus matured like anyone else. His growth in wisdom should be seen as referring to experiential knowledge -- knowledge acquired by his mind from sense experience and general experience of life. It can also be taken as referring to the external expression of his wisdom; in this sense everything he did was done perfectly, in keeping with whatever age he was at the time.
As man Jesus had three kinds of knowledge: 1. "The knowledge of the blessed" (vision of the divine essence) by virtue of the hypostatic union (the union of his human nature with his divine nature in the one person of the Word). This knowledge did not allow of any increase. 2. "Infused knowledge", which perfected his intellect and which meant that he knew everything, even hidden things; thus he was able to read men's hearts. Here again his knowledge was complete; it could not grow. 3. "Acquired knowledge": he acquired new knowledge through sense experience and reflection; logically, this knowledge increased as time went by.
As far as grace, in the strict sense of the word, was concerned, Jesus could not grow. From the first instant of his conception he possessed grace in all its fullness because he was true God by virtue of the hypostatic union. As St Thomas explains: "The end of grace is the union of the rational creature with God. But there can neither be nor be conceived a greater union of the rational creature with God than that which is in the person of Christ [...]. Hence it is clear that the grace of Christ cannot be increased on the part of grace. But neither can it be increased on the part of Christ, since Christ as man was a true and full 'comprehensor from the first instant of his conception. Hence there could have been no increase of grace in him" ("Summa Theologiae", Ill, q.7, a.12).
However, we can speak of his growing in grace in the sense of the "effects" of grace. In the last analysis, this matter is one of the mysteries of our faith, which our minds cannot fully grasp. How small God would be if we were able fully to fathom this mystery! That Christ should conceal his infinite power and wisdom by becoming a Child teaches our pride a great lesson.
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
The Nativity of the Lord Christmas - Midnight
14ABC The Nativity of the Lord Christmas
Mass at Midnight
Catechism Links
CCC Cross Reference:
Is 9:5 2305
Ps 96:2 2143
Ti 2:12 1809; Ti 2:13 449, 1041, 1130, 1404, 2760, 2818; Ti 2:14 802
Lk 2:6-7 525; Lk 2:7 515; Lk 2:8-20 486, 525; Lk 2:8-14 333; Lk 2:10 333; Lk 2:11 437, 448, 695; Lk 2:14 333, 559, 725
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Reading 1
Is 9:1-6
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
For every boot that tramped in battle,
every cloak rolled in blood,
will be burned as fuel for flames.
For a child is born to us, a son is given us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.
His dominion is vast
and forever peaceful,
from David’s throne, and over his kingdom,
which he confirms and sustains
by judgment and justice,
both now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 96: 1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13
R. (Lk 2:11) Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
They shall exult before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Reading II
Ti 2:11-14
Beloved:
The grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires
and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age,
as we await the blessed hope,
the appearance of the glory of our great God
and savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness
and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good.
Gospel
Lk 2:1-14
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading Isaiah 9:1-7
The people that walked in darkness
has seen a great light;
on those who live in a land of deep shadow
a light has shone.
You have made their gladness greater,
you have made their joy increase;
they rejoice in your presence
as men rejoice at harvest time,
as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.
For the yoke that was weighing on him,
the barb across his shoulders,
the rod of his oppressor,
these you break as on the day of Midian.
For all the footgear of battle,
every cloak rolled in blood,
is burnt,
and consumed by fire.
For there is a child born for us,
a son given to us
and dominion is laid on his shoulders;
and this is the name they give him:
Wonder-Counselor, Mighty-God,
Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace.
Wide is his dominion
in a peace that has no end,
for the throne of David
and for his royal power,
which he establishes and makes secure
in justice and integrity.
From this time onwards and for ever,
the jealous love of the Lord of Hosts will do this.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 95(96):1-3,11-13
Second reading Titus 2:11-14
God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives here in this present world, while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the Appearing of the glory of our great God and savior Christ Jesus. He sacrificed himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it could be his very own and would have no ambition except to do good.
Gospel Luke 2:1-14
Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken. This census – the first – took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own town to be registered. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of David’s House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there the time came for her have her child, and she birth to a son, her first born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn. In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took it in turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, ‘Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly with the angel there was a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing:
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace to men who enjoy his favor.’
Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible
Solemnity: Nativity of the Lord (Midnight)
From: Isaiah 9:2-4, 6-7 -- RSVCE (9:1-6 -- NAB)
The Prince of Peace
-----------------------------
[2] The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.
[3] Thou has multiplied the nation,
thou hast increased its joy;
they rejoice before thee
as with joy at the harvest,
as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
[4] For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
thou hast broken as on the day of Midian.
[6] For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government will be upon his shoulder,
and his name will be called
"Wonderful Counsellor, Might God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
[7] Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom,
to establish it, and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
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Commentary:
9:1-7. At this point, though not yet very clearly, we begin to see the figure of King Hezekiah, who, unlike his father Ahaz, was a pious man who put all his trust in the Lord. After Galilee was laid waste by Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria, and its population subsequently deported (cf. 8:21-22), Hezekiah of Judah would re-conquer that region, which would recover its splendor for a period. All this gave grounds for hope again.
This oracle may have a connection with the Immanuel prophecy (7:1-17), and the child with messianic prerogatives that has been born (cf. 9:6-7) could be the child that Isaiah prophesied about (cf. 7:14). For this reason, 9:1-7 is seen as the second oracle of the Immanuel cycle. This "child" that is born, the son given to us, is a gift from God (9:6), because it is a sign that God is present among his people. The Hebrew text attributes four qualities to the child which seem to embrace all the typical features of Israel's illustrious forebears -- the wisdom of Solomon (cf. 1 Kings 3: "Wonderful Counsellor"), the prowess of David (cf. 1 Sam 7: "Mighty God"), the administrative skills of Moses (cf. Ex 18:13-26) as liberator, guide and father of the people (cf. Deut 34:10-12), ("Everlasting Father"), and the virtues of the early patriarchs, who made peace pacts (cf. Gen 21:22-34; 26:15-35; 23: 6), ("Prince of peace"). In the old Latin Vulgate, the translation gave six features ("Admirabilis, Consiliarius, Deus, Fortis, Pater future saeculi, Princeps pacis"); these have found their way into the liturgy. The New Vulgate has reverted to the Hebrew text. Either way, what we have here are titles that Semite nations applied to the reigning monarch; but, taken together, they go far beyond what befitted Hezekiah or any other king of Judah. Therefore, Christian tradition has interpreted them as being appropriate only for Jesus. St Bernard, for example, explains the justification for these names as follows: "He is Wonderful in his birth, Counsellor in his preaching, God in his works, Mighty in the Passion, Everlasting Father in the resurrection, and Prince of Peace in eternal happiness" (Sermones de diversis, 53, 1).
Because these names are applied to Jesus, the short-term conquest of Galilee by Hezekiah is seen as being only an announcement of the definitive salvation brought about by Christ. In the Gospels we find echoes of this oracle in a number of passages that refer to Jesus. When Luke narrates the Annunciation by the angel to Mary (Lk 1:31-33) we hear that the son that she will conceive and give birth to will receive "the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Lk 1:32b-33; cf. Is 9:7). And in the account about the shepherds of Bethlehem, they are told that "to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord …" (Lk 2:11-12; cf. Is 9:6). St Matthew sees the beginning of Jesus' ministry in Galilee (Mt 4:12-17) as the fulfillment of this Isaian oracle (cf. Is 9:1): the lands that in the prophet's time were laid waste and saw ethnic cleansing and transplantation were the first to receive the light of salvation from the Messiah.
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From: Titus 2:11-14
The Incarnation, the Basis of Christian Ethics and Piety
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[11] For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, [12] training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, [13] awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, [14] who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
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Commentary:
11-14. This section is almost like a hymn in praise of saving grace and God's loving kindness as manifested in Christ. The terse, sober style, with phrases piled on one another, and very few verbs, is typical of St. Paul. The duties just described (2:1-10) -- of older men, women, young people and slaves -- all point to Christians' having a common lifestyle, which is the fruit of grace. God is the source of that grace, and salvation its goal, and it is given to us through Jesus Christ.
Thus, divine grace manifested in the Incarnation is actively at work to redeem us; it brings salvation; it sanctifies us, enabling us to live godly lives; and it is the basis of our hope in the second coming of the Lord. All these dimensions of the action of grace summarize revealed doctrine on righteousness (justification) in Jesus Christ. Thus, in the Incarnation, God's salvific will, embracing all men, is manifested in a special way (cf. 1 Tim 2:4); in the Redemption, Christ, the only Mediator and Savior (cf. 1 Tim 2:5) obtains for us the gift of grace, whereby man becomes a sharer in the good things of salvation. Jesus is our model; by means of grace he instructs the Christian on how to control his defects and grow in virtue. The instruction we receive is not only an external one: God inwardly moves us to seek holiness (cf. Rom 5:1-5 and note). Grace also channels our hope, for Christians are motivated not only by the memory of a past event (our Lord's life on earth) but also, and especially, by the fact that Jesus is in the glory of heaven even now and that we are invited to share his inheritance (cf. 2 Pet 3:12-13).
13. "The glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ": an explicit confession of faith in the divinity of Jesus Christ, who is stated at one and at the same time (with only one article in the original Greek) to be God and Savior. This expression is the hinge on which the entire hymn turns: Jesus Christ our God is the one who came at the Incarnation, who will manifest himself fully at his second coming, and who through his work of redemption has made it possible for man to live a live pleasing to God.
This verse is reminiscent of Romans 9:5, where St. Paul wrote: "to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race according to the flesh is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed for ever. Amen."
14. The mention of Jesus Christ at the end of the previous verse leads St. Paul to summarize the doctrine of the Redemption in this lovely passage. Four essential elements in redemption are listed: Christ's self-giving; redemption from all iniquity; purification; and Christ's establishment of a people of his own dedicated to good deeds. The reference to Christ's self-giving clearly means whereby we are set free from the slavery of sin; Christ's sacrifice is the cause of the freedom of the children of God (analogously, God's action during the Exodus liberated the people of Israel). Purification, a consequence of redemption, enables a man to become part of God's own people (cf. Ezek 37-23). The expression "a people of his own" is a clear allusion to Exodus 19:5: through the covenant of Sinai God made Israel his own people, different from other nations; through the New Covenant of his blood Jesus forms his own people, the Church, which is open to all nations: "As Israel according to the flesh which wandered in the desert was already called the Church of God, so, too, the new Israel, which advances in this present era in search of a future and permanent city, is called also the Church of Christ. It is Christ indeed who has purchased it with his own blood; he has filled it with his Spirit; he has provided means adapted to its visible and social union [...]. Destined to extend to all regions of the earth, it enters into human history,
though it transcends at once all times and all racial boundaries" ("Lumen Gentium", 9).
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From: Luke 2:1-16
The Birth of Jesus
--------------------------
[1] In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. [2] This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. [3] And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. [4] 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, [5] to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. [6] And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. [7] And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
The Adoration of the Shepherds
----------------------------------------------
[8] And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. [9] And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. [10] And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will come to all the people; [11] for to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [12] And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." [13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, [14] "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased!"
[15] When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." [16] And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
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Commentary:
1. Caesar Augustus was Roman emperor at this time, reigning from 30 B.C. to A.D. 14. He is known to have commissioned various censuses, one of which could well be that referred to by the evangelist. Since Rome normally respected local usages, censuses were carried out in line with Jewish custom whereby every householder went to his place of origin to be listed in the census.
6-7. The Messiah is born, the Son of God and our Savior. "He made Himself a child [...] to enable you to become a perfect man; He was wrapped in swaddling clothes to free you from the bonds of death [...]. He came down on earth to enable you to rise up to Heaven; He had no place in the inn so that you might have many mansions in Heaven. He, being rich, became poor for our sake -- St. Paul says (2 Corinthians 8:9) -- so as to enrich us with His poverty [...]. The tears of this crying child purify men, they wash away my sins" (St. Ambrose, "Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc.").
The new-born Child does not yet speak, but He is the eternal Word of the Father. Even from the manger in Bethlehem He teaches us. "We must learn the lessons which Jesus teaches us, even when He is just a newly born child, from the very moment He opens His eyes on this blessed land of men" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 14). The main lesson He gives us concerns humility: "God hum- bled Himself to allow us to get near Him, so that we could give our love in exchange for His, so that our freedom might bow, not only at the sight of His power, but also before the wonder of His humility.
"The greatness of this Child who is God! His Father is the God who has made Heaven and earth and there He is, in a manger, 'because there was no room at the inn' (Luke 2:7); there was nowhere else for the Lord of all creation" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 18).
Our hearts should provide Jesus with a place where He can be born spiritually; that is, we should be born to a new life, becoming a new creature (Romans 6:4), keeping that holiness and purity of soul which we were given in Baptism and which is like being born again. We contemplate the birth of our Savior when we pray the "third mystery" of the Holy Rosary.
7. "First-born son": it is usual for Sacred Scripture to refer to the first male child as "the first-born" whether or not there were other brothers (cf., for example, Exodus 13:2; 13:13; Numbers 15:8; Hebrews 1:6). The same practice is to be found in ordinary speech; take, for example, this inscription dating from approximately the same time as Christ was born, which was found near Tell-el-Jedvieh (in Egypt) in 1922, which states that a woman named Arsinoe died while giving birth to "her first-born son". Otherwise, as St. Jerome explains in his letter "Adversus Helvidium", 10, "if only He were first-born who was followed by other brothers, He would not deserve the rights of the first-born, which the Law lays down, until the other had been born" -- which would be absurd, since the Law ordains that those first-born should be "ransomed" within a month of their birth (Numbers 18:16).
However, Jesus Christ is first-born in a much deeper sense independent of natural or biological considerations -- which St. Bede describes in these words, summarizing a long tradition of the Fathers of the Church: "Truly the Son of God, who was made manifest in the flesh, belongs to a more exalted order not only because He is the Only-begotten of the Father by virtue of the excellence of His divinity; He is also first-born of all creatures by virtue of His fraternity with men: concerning this [His primogeniture] it is said: 'For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the first-born among many brethren' (Romans 8:29). And concerning the former [His being the Only-begotten] it is said 'we have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father' (St. John 1:14). Thus, He is only-begotten by the substance of the Godhead, and first-born through His assumption of humanity; firstborn by grace, only-begotten by nature. This is why He is called brother and Lord; brother, because He is the first-born; Lord, because He is the Only-begotten" ("In Lucae Evangelium Expositio, in loc.").
Christian Tradition teaches, as a truth of faith, that Mary remained a virgin after Christ's birth, which is perfectly in keeping with Christ's status as her first-born. See, for example, these words of the Lateran Council of 649: "If anyone does not profess according to the holy Fathers that in the proper and true sense the holy, ever-Virgin, immaculate Mary is the Mother of God, since in this last age not with human seed but of the Holy Spirit she properly and truly conceived the divine Word, who was born of God the Father before all ages, and gave Him birth without any detriment to her virginity, which remained inviolate even after His birth: let such a one be condemned" (Canon 3).
8-20. At His birth Christ's divinity and His humanity are perfectly manifested: we see His weakness -- the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7) -- and His divine power. Christian faith involves confessing that Jesus Christ is true God and true man.
The salvation which Christ brought us is offered to everyone, without distinction: "Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all" (Colossians 3:11). That is why, even at His birth, He chose to manifest Himself to different kinds of people -- the shepherds, the Magi and Simeon and Anna. As St. Augustine comments: "The shepherds were Israelites; the Magi, Gentiles. The first lived near-by; the latter, far away. Yet both came to the cornerstone, Christ" ("Sermo De Nativitate Domini", 202).
8-9. These shepherds may have been from the neighborhood of Bethlehem or even have come from further afield in search of pasture for their flocks. It was these simple and humble people who were the first to hear the good news of Christ's birth. God has a preference for the humble (cf. Proverbs 3:32); He hides from those who consider themselves wise and understanding and reveals Himself to "babes" (cf. Matthew 11:25).
10-14. The angel announces that the new-born Child is the Savior, Christ the Lord. He is the "Savior" because He has come to save us from our sins (cf. Matthew 1:21). He is "the Christ", that is, the Messiah so often promised in the Old Testament, and now born among us in fulfillment of that ancient hope. He is "the Lord": this shows Christ's divinity, for this is the name God chose to be known by to His people in the Old Testament, and it is the way Christians usually refer to and address Jesus and the way the Church always confesses her faith: "We believe [...] in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God."
When the angel tells them that the Child has been born in the city of David, he reminds them that this was where the Messiah Redeemer was supposed to be born (cf. Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6), who would be a descendant of David (cf. Psalm 110:1-2; Matthew 22:42-46).
Christ is the Lord not only of men but also of angels, which is why the angels rejoice at His birth and render Him the tribute of adoration: "Glory to God in the highest." And, since men are called to share, like them, in the happiness of Heaven, the angels add: "And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." "They praise the Lord," St. Gregory the Great comments, "putting the notes of their hymn in harmony with our redemption; they see us as already sharing in their own happy destiny and rejoice at this" ("Moralia", 28, 7).
St. Thomas explains why the birth of Christ was revealed through angels: "What is in itself hidden needs to be manifested, but not what is in itself manifest. The flesh of Him who was born was manifest, but His Godhead was hidden, and therefore it was fitting that this birth should be made known by angels, who are ministers of God. This is why a certain brightness accompanied the angelic apparition, to indicate that He who was just born 'reflects the glory of the Father' (Hebrews 1: 3)" ("Summa Theologiae", III, q. 36, a. 5 ad 1).
The angel also tells the shepherds that Christ is a man: "You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger" (verse 12) -- as foretold in the Old Testament: "To us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder" (Isaiah 9:6).
14. This text can be translated in two ways, which are compatible with each other. One is the version chosen by the RSV; the other, as an RSV note points out: "other ancient authorities read 'peace, good will among men'"; a variant is the translation used in the Liturgy: "Peace on earth to men who are God's friends." Essentially what the text says is that the angels ask for peace and reconciliation with God, which is not something which results from men's merits but rather comes from God's deigning to have mercy on them. The two translations are complementary, for when men respond to God's grace they are fulfilling God's good will, God's love for them: "Iesus Christus, Deus homo": Jesus Christ, God-man. This is one of 'the mighty works of God' (Acts 2:11), which we should reflect upon and thank Him for. He has come to bring peace on earth to men of good will' (Luke 2:14), to all men who want to unite their wills to the holy will of God" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 13).
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
Mass at Midnight
Catechism Links
CCC 456-460,
566: “Why did the Word
become flesh?”
CCC 461-463,
470-478: the Incarnation
CCC 437,
525-526: the Christmas mystery
CCC 439, 496,
559, 2616: Jesus is the Son of
David
CCC 65, 102: God has said everything in his Word
CCC 333: the incarnate Christ worshipped by the angels
CCC 1159-1162,
2131, 2502: the Incarnation and
images of Christ
CCC Cross Reference:
Is 9:5 2305
Ps 96:2 2143
Ti 2:12 1809; Ti 2:13 449, 1041, 1130, 1404, 2760, 2818; Ti 2:14 802
Lk 2:6-7 525; Lk 2:7 515; Lk 2:8-20 486, 525; Lk 2:8-14 333; Lk 2:10 333; Lk 2:11 437, 448, 695; Lk 2:14 333, 559, 725
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Reading 1
Is 9:1-6
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
For every boot that tramped in battle,
every cloak rolled in blood,
will be burned as fuel for flames.
For a child is born to us, a son is given us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.
His dominion is vast
and forever peaceful,
from David’s throne, and over his kingdom,
which he confirms and sustains
by judgment and justice,
both now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 96: 1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13
R. (Lk 2:11) Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
They shall exult before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Reading II
Ti 2:11-14
Beloved:
The grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires
and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age,
as we await the blessed hope,
the appearance of the glory of our great God
and savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness
and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good.
Gospel
Lk 2:1-14
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading Isaiah 9:1-7
The people that walked in darkness
has seen a great light;
on those who live in a land of deep shadow
a light has shone.
You have made their gladness greater,
you have made their joy increase;
they rejoice in your presence
as men rejoice at harvest time,
as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.
For the yoke that was weighing on him,
the barb across his shoulders,
the rod of his oppressor,
these you break as on the day of Midian.
For all the footgear of battle,
every cloak rolled in blood,
is burnt,
and consumed by fire.
For there is a child born for us,
a son given to us
and dominion is laid on his shoulders;
and this is the name they give him:
Wonder-Counselor, Mighty-God,
Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace.
Wide is his dominion
in a peace that has no end,
for the throne of David
and for his royal power,
which he establishes and makes secure
in justice and integrity.
From this time onwards and for ever,
the jealous love of the Lord of Hosts will do this.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 95(96):1-3,11-13
Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.
O sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.
Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.
Proclaim his help day by day,
tell among the nations his glory
and his wonders among all the peoples.
Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,
let the sea and all within it thunder praise,
let the land and all it bears rejoice,
all the trees of the wood shout for joy
at the presence of the Lord for he comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.
With justice he will rule the world,
he will judge the peoples with his truth.
Today a saviour has been born to us: he is Christ the Lord.
Second reading Titus 2:11-14
God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives here in this present world, while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the Appearing of the glory of our great God and savior Christ Jesus. He sacrificed himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it could be his very own and would have no ambition except to do good.
Gospel Luke 2:1-14
Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken. This census – the first – took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own town to be registered. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of David’s House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there the time came for her have her child, and she birth to a son, her first born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn. In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took it in turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, ‘Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly with the angel there was a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing:
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace to men who enjoy his favor.’
Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible
Solemnity: Nativity of the Lord (Midnight)
From: Isaiah 9:2-4, 6-7 -- RSVCE (9:1-6 -- NAB)
The Prince of Peace
-----------------------------
[2] The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.
[3] Thou has multiplied the nation,
thou hast increased its joy;
they rejoice before thee
as with joy at the harvest,
as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
[4] For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
thou hast broken as on the day of Midian.
[6] For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government will be upon his shoulder,
and his name will be called
"Wonderful Counsellor, Might God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
[7] Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom,
to establish it, and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
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Commentary:
9:1-7. At this point, though not yet very clearly, we begin to see the figure of King Hezekiah, who, unlike his father Ahaz, was a pious man who put all his trust in the Lord. After Galilee was laid waste by Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria, and its population subsequently deported (cf. 8:21-22), Hezekiah of Judah would re-conquer that region, which would recover its splendor for a period. All this gave grounds for hope again.
This oracle may have a connection with the Immanuel prophecy (7:1-17), and the child with messianic prerogatives that has been born (cf. 9:6-7) could be the child that Isaiah prophesied about (cf. 7:14). For this reason, 9:1-7 is seen as the second oracle of the Immanuel cycle. This "child" that is born, the son given to us, is a gift from God (9:6), because it is a sign that God is present among his people. The Hebrew text attributes four qualities to the child which seem to embrace all the typical features of Israel's illustrious forebears -- the wisdom of Solomon (cf. 1 Kings 3: "Wonderful Counsellor"), the prowess of David (cf. 1 Sam 7: "Mighty God"), the administrative skills of Moses (cf. Ex 18:13-26) as liberator, guide and father of the people (cf. Deut 34:10-12), ("Everlasting Father"), and the virtues of the early patriarchs, who made peace pacts (cf. Gen 21:22-34; 26:15-35; 23: 6), ("Prince of peace"). In the old Latin Vulgate, the translation gave six features ("Admirabilis, Consiliarius, Deus, Fortis, Pater future saeculi, Princeps pacis"); these have found their way into the liturgy. The New Vulgate has reverted to the Hebrew text. Either way, what we have here are titles that Semite nations applied to the reigning monarch; but, taken together, they go far beyond what befitted Hezekiah or any other king of Judah. Therefore, Christian tradition has interpreted them as being appropriate only for Jesus. St Bernard, for example, explains the justification for these names as follows: "He is Wonderful in his birth, Counsellor in his preaching, God in his works, Mighty in the Passion, Everlasting Father in the resurrection, and Prince of Peace in eternal happiness" (Sermones de diversis, 53, 1).
Because these names are applied to Jesus, the short-term conquest of Galilee by Hezekiah is seen as being only an announcement of the definitive salvation brought about by Christ. In the Gospels we find echoes of this oracle in a number of passages that refer to Jesus. When Luke narrates the Annunciation by the angel to Mary (Lk 1:31-33) we hear that the son that she will conceive and give birth to will receive "the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Lk 1:32b-33; cf. Is 9:7). And in the account about the shepherds of Bethlehem, they are told that "to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord …" (Lk 2:11-12; cf. Is 9:6). St Matthew sees the beginning of Jesus' ministry in Galilee (Mt 4:12-17) as the fulfillment of this Isaian oracle (cf. Is 9:1): the lands that in the prophet's time were laid waste and saw ethnic cleansing and transplantation were the first to receive the light of salvation from the Messiah.
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From: Titus 2:11-14
The Incarnation, the Basis of Christian Ethics and Piety
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[11] For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, [12] training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, [13] awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, [14] who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
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Commentary:
11-14. This section is almost like a hymn in praise of saving grace and God's loving kindness as manifested in Christ. The terse, sober style, with phrases piled on one another, and very few verbs, is typical of St. Paul. The duties just described (2:1-10) -- of older men, women, young people and slaves -- all point to Christians' having a common lifestyle, which is the fruit of grace. God is the source of that grace, and salvation its goal, and it is given to us through Jesus Christ.
Thus, divine grace manifested in the Incarnation is actively at work to redeem us; it brings salvation; it sanctifies us, enabling us to live godly lives; and it is the basis of our hope in the second coming of the Lord. All these dimensions of the action of grace summarize revealed doctrine on righteousness (justification) in Jesus Christ. Thus, in the Incarnation, God's salvific will, embracing all men, is manifested in a special way (cf. 1 Tim 2:4); in the Redemption, Christ, the only Mediator and Savior (cf. 1 Tim 2:5) obtains for us the gift of grace, whereby man becomes a sharer in the good things of salvation. Jesus is our model; by means of grace he instructs the Christian on how to control his defects and grow in virtue. The instruction we receive is not only an external one: God inwardly moves us to seek holiness (cf. Rom 5:1-5 and note). Grace also channels our hope, for Christians are motivated not only by the memory of a past event (our Lord's life on earth) but also, and especially, by the fact that Jesus is in the glory of heaven even now and that we are invited to share his inheritance (cf. 2 Pet 3:12-13).
13. "The glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ": an explicit confession of faith in the divinity of Jesus Christ, who is stated at one and at the same time (with only one article in the original Greek) to be God and Savior. This expression is the hinge on which the entire hymn turns: Jesus Christ our God is the one who came at the Incarnation, who will manifest himself fully at his second coming, and who through his work of redemption has made it possible for man to live a live pleasing to God.
This verse is reminiscent of Romans 9:5, where St. Paul wrote: "to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race according to the flesh is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed for ever. Amen."
14. The mention of Jesus Christ at the end of the previous verse leads St. Paul to summarize the doctrine of the Redemption in this lovely passage. Four essential elements in redemption are listed: Christ's self-giving; redemption from all iniquity; purification; and Christ's establishment of a people of his own dedicated to good deeds. The reference to Christ's self-giving clearly means whereby we are set free from the slavery of sin; Christ's sacrifice is the cause of the freedom of the children of God (analogously, God's action during the Exodus liberated the people of Israel). Purification, a consequence of redemption, enables a man to become part of God's own people (cf. Ezek 37-23). The expression "a people of his own" is a clear allusion to Exodus 19:5: through the covenant of Sinai God made Israel his own people, different from other nations; through the New Covenant of his blood Jesus forms his own people, the Church, which is open to all nations: "As Israel according to the flesh which wandered in the desert was already called the Church of God, so, too, the new Israel, which advances in this present era in search of a future and permanent city, is called also the Church of Christ. It is Christ indeed who has purchased it with his own blood; he has filled it with his Spirit; he has provided means adapted to its visible and social union [...]. Destined to extend to all regions of the earth, it enters into human history,
though it transcends at once all times and all racial boundaries" ("Lumen Gentium", 9).
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From: Luke 2:1-16
The Birth of Jesus
--------------------------
[1] In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. [2] This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. [3] And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. [4] 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, [5] to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. [6] And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. [7] And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
The Adoration of the Shepherds
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[8] And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. [9] And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. [10] And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will come to all the people; [11] for to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [12] And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." [13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, [14] "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased!"
[15] When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." [16] And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
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Commentary:
1. Caesar Augustus was Roman emperor at this time, reigning from 30 B.C. to A.D. 14. He is known to have commissioned various censuses, one of which could well be that referred to by the evangelist. Since Rome normally respected local usages, censuses were carried out in line with Jewish custom whereby every householder went to his place of origin to be listed in the census.
6-7. The Messiah is born, the Son of God and our Savior. "He made Himself a child [...] to enable you to become a perfect man; He was wrapped in swaddling clothes to free you from the bonds of death [...]. He came down on earth to enable you to rise up to Heaven; He had no place in the inn so that you might have many mansions in Heaven. He, being rich, became poor for our sake -- St. Paul says (2 Corinthians 8:9) -- so as to enrich us with His poverty [...]. The tears of this crying child purify men, they wash away my sins" (St. Ambrose, "Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc.").
The new-born Child does not yet speak, but He is the eternal Word of the Father. Even from the manger in Bethlehem He teaches us. "We must learn the lessons which Jesus teaches us, even when He is just a newly born child, from the very moment He opens His eyes on this blessed land of men" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 14). The main lesson He gives us concerns humility: "God hum- bled Himself to allow us to get near Him, so that we could give our love in exchange for His, so that our freedom might bow, not only at the sight of His power, but also before the wonder of His humility.
"The greatness of this Child who is God! His Father is the God who has made Heaven and earth and there He is, in a manger, 'because there was no room at the inn' (Luke 2:7); there was nowhere else for the Lord of all creation" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 18).
Our hearts should provide Jesus with a place where He can be born spiritually; that is, we should be born to a new life, becoming a new creature (Romans 6:4), keeping that holiness and purity of soul which we were given in Baptism and which is like being born again. We contemplate the birth of our Savior when we pray the "third mystery" of the Holy Rosary.
7. "First-born son": it is usual for Sacred Scripture to refer to the first male child as "the first-born" whether or not there were other brothers (cf., for example, Exodus 13:2; 13:13; Numbers 15:8; Hebrews 1:6). The same practice is to be found in ordinary speech; take, for example, this inscription dating from approximately the same time as Christ was born, which was found near Tell-el-Jedvieh (in Egypt) in 1922, which states that a woman named Arsinoe died while giving birth to "her first-born son". Otherwise, as St. Jerome explains in his letter "Adversus Helvidium", 10, "if only He were first-born who was followed by other brothers, He would not deserve the rights of the first-born, which the Law lays down, until the other had been born" -- which would be absurd, since the Law ordains that those first-born should be "ransomed" within a month of their birth (Numbers 18:16).
However, Jesus Christ is first-born in a much deeper sense independent of natural or biological considerations -- which St. Bede describes in these words, summarizing a long tradition of the Fathers of the Church: "Truly the Son of God, who was made manifest in the flesh, belongs to a more exalted order not only because He is the Only-begotten of the Father by virtue of the excellence of His divinity; He is also first-born of all creatures by virtue of His fraternity with men: concerning this [His primogeniture] it is said: 'For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the first-born among many brethren' (Romans 8:29). And concerning the former [His being the Only-begotten] it is said 'we have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father' (St. John 1:14). Thus, He is only-begotten by the substance of the Godhead, and first-born through His assumption of humanity; firstborn by grace, only-begotten by nature. This is why He is called brother and Lord; brother, because He is the first-born; Lord, because He is the Only-begotten" ("In Lucae Evangelium Expositio, in loc.").
Christian Tradition teaches, as a truth of faith, that Mary remained a virgin after Christ's birth, which is perfectly in keeping with Christ's status as her first-born. See, for example, these words of the Lateran Council of 649: "If anyone does not profess according to the holy Fathers that in the proper and true sense the holy, ever-Virgin, immaculate Mary is the Mother of God, since in this last age not with human seed but of the Holy Spirit she properly and truly conceived the divine Word, who was born of God the Father before all ages, and gave Him birth without any detriment to her virginity, which remained inviolate even after His birth: let such a one be condemned" (Canon 3).
8-20. At His birth Christ's divinity and His humanity are perfectly manifested: we see His weakness -- the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7) -- and His divine power. Christian faith involves confessing that Jesus Christ is true God and true man.
The salvation which Christ brought us is offered to everyone, without distinction: "Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all" (Colossians 3:11). That is why, even at His birth, He chose to manifest Himself to different kinds of people -- the shepherds, the Magi and Simeon and Anna. As St. Augustine comments: "The shepherds were Israelites; the Magi, Gentiles. The first lived near-by; the latter, far away. Yet both came to the cornerstone, Christ" ("Sermo De Nativitate Domini", 202).
8-9. These shepherds may have been from the neighborhood of Bethlehem or even have come from further afield in search of pasture for their flocks. It was these simple and humble people who were the first to hear the good news of Christ's birth. God has a preference for the humble (cf. Proverbs 3:32); He hides from those who consider themselves wise and understanding and reveals Himself to "babes" (cf. Matthew 11:25).
10-14. The angel announces that the new-born Child is the Savior, Christ the Lord. He is the "Savior" because He has come to save us from our sins (cf. Matthew 1:21). He is "the Christ", that is, the Messiah so often promised in the Old Testament, and now born among us in fulfillment of that ancient hope. He is "the Lord": this shows Christ's divinity, for this is the name God chose to be known by to His people in the Old Testament, and it is the way Christians usually refer to and address Jesus and the way the Church always confesses her faith: "We believe [...] in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God."
When the angel tells them that the Child has been born in the city of David, he reminds them that this was where the Messiah Redeemer was supposed to be born (cf. Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6), who would be a descendant of David (cf. Psalm 110:1-2; Matthew 22:42-46).
Christ is the Lord not only of men but also of angels, which is why the angels rejoice at His birth and render Him the tribute of adoration: "Glory to God in the highest." And, since men are called to share, like them, in the happiness of Heaven, the angels add: "And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." "They praise the Lord," St. Gregory the Great comments, "putting the notes of their hymn in harmony with our redemption; they see us as already sharing in their own happy destiny and rejoice at this" ("Moralia", 28, 7).
St. Thomas explains why the birth of Christ was revealed through angels: "What is in itself hidden needs to be manifested, but not what is in itself manifest. The flesh of Him who was born was manifest, but His Godhead was hidden, and therefore it was fitting that this birth should be made known by angels, who are ministers of God. This is why a certain brightness accompanied the angelic apparition, to indicate that He who was just born 'reflects the glory of the Father' (Hebrews 1: 3)" ("Summa Theologiae", III, q. 36, a. 5 ad 1).
The angel also tells the shepherds that Christ is a man: "You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger" (verse 12) -- as foretold in the Old Testament: "To us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder" (Isaiah 9:6).
14. This text can be translated in two ways, which are compatible with each other. One is the version chosen by the RSV; the other, as an RSV note points out: "other ancient authorities read 'peace, good will among men'"; a variant is the translation used in the Liturgy: "Peace on earth to men who are God's friends." Essentially what the text says is that the angels ask for peace and reconciliation with God, which is not something which results from men's merits but rather comes from God's deigning to have mercy on them. The two translations are complementary, for when men respond to God's grace they are fulfilling God's good will, God's love for them: "Iesus Christus, Deus homo": Jesus Christ, God-man. This is one of 'the mighty works of God' (Acts 2:11), which we should reflect upon and thank Him for. He has come to bring peace on earth to men of good will' (Luke 2:14), to all men who want to unite their wills to the holy will of God" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 13).
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
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