The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas): Night. Dec. 24, 2024
Isaiah 9: 1-6; Titus 2: 11-14; Luke 2:
1-14
Theme: “Today
is Born our Savior, Christ the Lord”
This night makes us recall that glorious night
when the Blessed Mother Mary bore the savior Jesus Christ for the world. We who
prepared our hearts and families during Advent, now our savior is born in our
hearts and families. In our first reading, Isaiah foretold his names: Wonder
Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, and Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9: 6). The
angel of the Lord, in our Gospel, exhorts us to fear no more because this child
who is born in us is our savior, Messiah, and Lord. (Luke 2: 10-11). From now
on, since we have let Jesus be born in our hearts and families, Saint Paul, in
tonight’s second reading, calls us to reject godless ways and worldly desires
and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age until the second
coming of our Lord at the end of time. (Titus 2: 13-14).
The story of the birth of Jesus we heard in
the Gospel is part of the extensive section of the Infancy Narrative (1:5 –
2:52) in the Gospel of Luke. Our text is preceded by the story of the birth of
John the Baptist and the canticle of Zachariah (1:57-80); it is followed by the
visit of the Shepherds (2:15-20). Luke intends to show that Jesus Christ is the
fulfillment of both Jewish and gentile cultural worlds. He already made his
readers observe an example of Jewish fulfillment in the stories of Zechariah,
Elizabeth, and Mary. And now, in the opening verses of chapter 2, he recounts
the events in the pagan world, cooperating and foretelling the birth of the
Messiah in Jesus Christ.[1]
There are notorious historical problems with the names and dates of the people
Luke mentions in our text.[2]
Luke attests that both John the Baptist and Jesus were born under Herod the
Great (37 B.C. – 4 B.C.), but most scholars agree that it would be impossible for
these events to have occurred at a time when Caesar Augustus, Herod the Great,
and Quirinus were all simultaneously in power as Luke attests.[3]
Our Gospel text is a narrative story about
Jesus's birth. It can be divided into two parts. In the first part, the sacred
author uses numerous historical and geographical names and dates to confirm
that Jesus came from the lineage of David (vv. 1-7). In the second part, he
uses the presence of an angel and a multitude of the heavenly host to confirm
Jesus’ divine origin (vv. 8-14).
The Evangelist Luke commences his account of
the Lord’s birth with particular attention to secular historical details that
pose a historical problem. For instance, he tells us that Quirinus was the
Governor of Syria at the time of Jesus’ birth, while various historians attest
that Quirinius was not made governor of Syria until A.D. 6 when he took control
of Judea at the expulsion of Herod’s son Archelaus. Despite all historical
issues with the dating and names found in this passage, the vital point of
Luke’s theological intention is to tell us that the True Prince of Peace,
Jesus, came to the world during the Pax Romana when the Gentile world
looked to Augustus Caesar as the prince of peace. To make this point, the
author of the third Gospel uses historical facts (such as the census) and
remolds them to suit his theological aim, just as ancient historians would do.
After the historical facts in which he
demonstrates that Jesus is the Prince of Peace (not Augustus Caesar), Luke’s subsequent
preoccupation is to prove that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament promises
(especially that of the prophet Isaiah we heard in our first reading).
Isaiah’s prophecy in our first reading is part
of the dialogue that Isaiah undertook with Ahaz, the king of Judah (See Isaiah
7-9). Today’s passage can be interpreted in the context of the eighth-century
BC situation in which Isaiah speaks about the freedom of the Northern tribes of
Israel from Assyrian occupation at the time of the great king Hezekiah, son of
Ahaz. The people of Israel managed to survive a period of oppression, and now
they enjoy a new life of liberation. Isaiah describes them as people journeying
from a time of “darkness” into “great light.” God brought them abundant joy and
great rejoicing. Their rejoicing is compared to the joyful celebration during
an abundant harvest when the people divide spoils. (v. 3). The author
identifies Assyria as the “yoke,” “pole,” and “rod” that burdened the people
during the oppression. Isaiah compares Israel’s victory over their oppressors
to the “day of Midian,” alluding to when Gideon successfully defeated the
Midianites. (See Judges 7: 15-25).
After describing the mighty victory of the
people of Israel, Isaiah directs his prophecy toward the foretelling of the
Messiah. “For a child is born to us, a son is given us, upon his shoulder
dominion rests.” (v. 6). In his conversation with King Ahaz in Isaiah 7: 14, he
said that this Messiah would be named “Emmanuel.” Here, he lines up different
names: “Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.” (v.6).
Note that in Hebrew, the name signifies the person's essence. “The Wonder
Counselor” and “Prince of Peace” are King Solomon’s titles. This means that
this “Son-Messiah” will stand in Solomon’s place. The titles of “Mighty God”
and “Everlasting Father” are divine. They indicate that this “Son” will be more
than a human being. King Hezekiah, who brought the people of Israel to freedom
from Assyrian oppression, was a mere human being. Here, Isaiah is prophesying a
divine Man on David’s throne. So, these words of Isaiah transcend this
immediate context of the eighth-century BC and become the vision for a future
child who will be God himself present among his people. This prophecy is
fulfilled tonight in this solemnity of the nativity of Emmanuel, the Prince of
Peace.
Back to our Gospel, let us notice the
fulfillment of all the references to the Davidic covenant that Luke presents to
us. He tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David, and Joseph,
Jesus’ stepfather, was of David’s house and family. The presence of shepherds reminds
us of David, the shepherd. The child Jesus was laid in a “manger.” Note that
the name “Bethlehem” literally means “House of Bread,” and a “manger” is the
place where the sheep eat. Here, Luke tells us that Jesus, the Bread of Life,
was born in the “House of Bread” and laid in a “feeding place.” Our local
Churches are the “Bethlehem,” the “Houses of the Bread,” where Jesus, “the
Bread of Life,” is born and where he always dwells. At each Mass we attend, he
is laid on this altar, our “manger,” where we come to feed ourselves when we
receive him in Holy Communion.
Mary and Joseph did not find a suitable place
for the birth of their firstborn son. For four weeks during Advent, You and I
have prepared to offer Mary suitable places in our hearts and families. Making
our hearts and families available for Christ to be born in means that we accept
cooperating with God in his plan to save the world as Mary and Joseph did. So,
the newborn Jesus transforms each one of us to become “another him” and save
the people where we live. First, we become the “Bethlehem” (the “House of Bread
of Life”). We are called to offer our hospitality to the people who are in
need. May our Christian lives be “a Bethlehem” for the people where they feel
safe. Second, we become the “Bread of Life” for others. Many people around us
and overseas are hungry (physically and spiritually). We are called to provide
them with food to sustain their physical and spiritual lives. Third, we become
the “feeding place” (manger). The way the “manger” serves as the place where
the sheep come to get food, our Christian lives should be the inspirational
source for those who feel physically, morally, and spiritually weak.
Luke says that the angel of the Lord appeared
to the shepherds, the glory of the Lord shone around them, and he announced to
them the good news of great joy that will be for all people. (vv. 9-12). Note
that shepherds were the poorest people in society. They did not own land or
sheep. They work for hire. God chooses the poor shepherds to be the first to
know about his coming. He makes the shepherds his ambassadors to the world,
announcing a message of his birth. Jesus calls each of us to be his ambassadors
where we live, bearing this message of “good news of great joy” to everyone.
Luke ends this passage telling us that the
multitude of the heavenly host with the angel was praising God, singing: “Glory
to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
(vv. 13-14). Notice that these are the words we use in the “Glory to God” song we
sing at Masses. When we sing this song, we join the heavenly host with angels
and praise God. This is a significant song. Whenever we sing it, please let us
sing it with reverence.
Jesus is born. God took our human flesh and
dwells now among us. We have made our hearts and families become the
“Bethlehem” and the “manger” for the “Bread of Life.” Now it is time, as St.
Paul exhorts us in our second reading, to reject godless ways and worldly
desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age as we await
his second coming at the end of time with hope. Remember that you and I are chosen
to be God’s ambassadors wherever we live, announcing this good news of great
joy to everyone, starting in our families, Church, and neighborhood. Amen.
Merry Christmas 2024 and Happy New
Year 2025!
Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD
[1] Michael
F. Pattella, The Gospel According to Luke: New Collegeville Bible
Commentary, Volume 3 (Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2005), 17.
[2] Even
though the Roman historian Suetonius reports that there were registrations of
Roman citizens in 28 B.C., 8 B.C., and A.D. 14 (Divus Augustus 27.5), most
Bible scholars, for instance, Michael Patella, sustain that outside the New
Testament, there is no record showing that Caesar Augustus (27 B.C.-A.D. 14)
decreed the enrollment of the whole empire, that is, non-citizens, for any
purposes. Even though we consider the probability of the local registrations
from time to time within various provinces, there is still a problem because
Luke reports that such census occurred under the Roman legate Quirinius, while he
was not made governor of Syria until A.D. 6.
[3]
Michael F. Pattella, The Gospel According to Luke, 17.
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