The Nativity of Our Lord, Christmas Day 2022

GOSPEL: Luke 2:1-14 (vigil Mass)

Translated from a homily by Don Fabio Rosini, broadcast on Vatican Radio

 

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 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 Gospel of the Lord.       Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

 

1. Just as Mary cares for the child and wraps him in protection, so we too need to protect the gifts of the faith and our relationship with God.

On this solemnity of Christmas, we read the Gospel for the vigil Mass. Mary wraps the child in swaddling clothes and lays him in a manger, because there is no room for them at the in. The angels announce the glad tidings to the shepherds, repeating the same description regarding the swaddling clothes and manger. The repetition shows us that there is something here that demands greater reflection. Mary is prepared and wraps her child to protect him. The gifts of the faith also require protection. If the faith is not nurtured it will wither. Our relationship with God requires care and attention.

 

2. Our faith always has a dual aspect, just as the birth of Christ had a dual aspect, care and rejection, persecution and glory.

Then the child is laid in a manger. The Greek text has words typically used to describe deposition in a tomb. In Eastern iconography, the manger is depicted as a tomb. In any case, a manger is not a proper place to leave a newborn child, with noises of animals and lack of normal hygiene. He is cared for, but circumstances ensure that he also suffers deprivation. This interplay between care and deprivation/rejection will continue throughout his life. The angels will sing for him, but a sovereign will persecute him. One day, the people will acclaim him as king, but shortly afterwards will be put on the cross by the same crowd. Our faith always has these two aspects, rejection and glory, death and resurrection, intimacy with God and isolation from the world.

 

3. Humanity is driven by disordered appetites. Jesus is laid in the place of food. He will cure our appetites and give us lasting satisfaction.

Those who go to visit the child are given these two contrasting descriptions: cared for by his mother, but deposited in the place of food for animals. Normally a child has need to eat, but this child is placed in a manger as if he is the food. And of course he becomes bread for the world. “My body is real food and my blood real drink,” he will say one day. Humanity is fixated with satisfying its appetites. This child brings a solution to the disordered appetites of Adam.

 

4. It is no accident that migrants and nomads welcome Jesus. All of us are in a constant journey and we will be restless until we meet God.

Mary, who is rejected by the other guests of the inn, is welcomed by the shepherds. It is not the owners of great herds but the poor guardians of the sheep by night that have this wonderful experience. They live a sort of nomadic existence. All of the great figures of the Old Testament were shepherds – Abraham, Moses and David. As an adult, Jesus will say that the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. These migrant represent the restless part of our hearts, the part that is awake, that seeks salvation. Whenever man thinks that he has arrived, that he has reached his destination, he is wrong. Jesus reveals to us that we are in a constant journey towards heaven. At Christmas, we have the revelation of the new life that is being offered to us, the life of children of God, who refuse to be slaves of their appetites, who refuse to seek a permanent and secure base in this life, who refuse the mediocrity of a self-referential existence. How beautiful is the life brought to us by Jesus, who seeks to take away the hunger of others. This is the life of a pilgrim, of one who seeks the Father in all things, who journeys and grows in every action of his life.