And the Word was made flesh

And dwelt among us

Full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

 

On this day the very Son of God is made man for us and is a most striking proof of God’s love for us. For Christians Christ’s birth is the greatest event in the whole history of mankind; it is the mystery of mysteries. The birth of this Child was to bring the joy of God’s saving love to the whole world. And we can join our voices with the jubilant cry of the angels:
"Glory to God in the highest."

Now at this time 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 Gallilee 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 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 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 favour".

The Sunday following Christmas is designated as the Feast of the Holy Family.This appears to leap forward from Christmas Day but it is a day to celebrate the family. It is a day designated as a 'Day for Life' and we pray for our sociey which so often does not recognise the dignity of human life.

The Christmas season continues with the Feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on January 1st. Our reading comes from the Gospel according to Luke 2: 16-21:
The shepherds hurried away to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone wo heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God, for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told.

When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.

On 6th January we celebrate the arrival of the wise men from the east, by tradition Balthazar, Caspar and Melchior, often referred to as kings. They would have had to be well educated to interpret the signs as they did. Here is how Matthew describes their arrival:

After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. "Where is the infant king of the Jews?" they asked. "We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage." When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. "At Bethlehem in Judaea", they told him "for this is what the prophet wrote:
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel."


Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. "Go and find out all about the child," he said "and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage."
Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their country by a different way.