The Nativity of Our Lord
Christmad Day
Memorial – December 25
Noel! Noel! This was the cry of our fathers when the Faith
prevailed, ardent and lively in the bosom of families, institutions, and all of
society. That cry has grown very weak in our day, for the naivete of simple
faith has tended to disappear. Nevertheless, of all the Christian feasts,
Christmas is perhaps the most beloved and the most popular.
God used the most apparently indifferent events to reach His
ends. Mary lived in Nazareth, and the prophets predicted that the Messiah would
be born in Bethlehem. But an edict of Caesar Augustus ordered all the
inhabitants of Judea to go at a certain time to enroll in their native city.
Bethlehem was the birthplace of Joseph, so that is where the holy spouses went;
and that is where, in conformity to the predictions of the prophets, Jesus was
to come into the world.
What a birth for a God! Joseph looked for an inn, but there
was none for such poor people; rejected and scorned, they were obliged to seek
refuge in an isolated stable. And that is where, in the middle of the night,
Mary miraculously gave birth to Jesus; that is where the most meek Saviour
received the first adorations, where He received the first kisses and caresses,
where He shed His first tears! Mary took the Infant in Her arms, covered Him
with poor swaddling clothes and laid Him softly in a cold manger. O first
moments which Mary and Joseph spent at the feet of Jesus, how precious you were
for them, how full of charm! We will taste a little of this joy and these
charms on going to our church to pay a visit to the manger scene that
represents such a great mystery. Earthly joys are deceitful, but the joy of
God’s service are lasting and true.
Jesus was born, and behold, the heavens rang out in hymns of
joy as the Angels sang the canticle of triumph, “Glory to God in the highest!”
and the canticle of peace, “Peace on earth to men of good will!” Jesus was
born, and at once the poor shepherds, informed by the Angels, came to adore the
Redeemer of Israel in that little Infant. Jesus was born, and soon the princes
of the East, led by a Star, laid their homages at His feet. Let us hail
Christmas, the dawn of peace and salvation.
Sources for this article were taken from: http://magnificat.ca
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for
sending your Son to earth as a baby so many years ago. Thank you that He
paid the punishment for my sins by dying on the cross. And thank you that
He rose again to prove that death was truly defeated. I place my trust in You
to be my Savior. Guide me through the dark times of my life and give me courage to live for You. Amen
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