To You is Born a Savior, Who is the Messiah, the Lord

“In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom He favors!’”

“When the angels had left them and gone to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’  So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Child lying in the manger.  When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.” (Luke 2:8-18)

As we gather for Holy Mass on the Solemnity of the Nativity of our Lord, we will once again hear this Gospel reading from the Gospel of St. Luke.  I suppose that we have heard this passage very many times.  Not only each year when we gather for Christmas Masses, but also in Christmas plays of students, on the Christmas cards we receive and many other places as well.

And yet even with all of this repetition, the story does not ever get old.  It is always one that is fresh and new and speaks to us in new ways each time we hear it.  I am also always moved to consider the various individuals within the story as well.  There is the Holy Family certainly, but especially for us as Polish National Catholics we pay special attention to the shepherds, the ones to whom the message was addressed, the ones the angels spoke to. 

These humble shepherds were out in the cold night in the fields tending their flocks.  This was an important but also a thankless task.  It was one that was, in many ways, unseen since these shepherds were far removed from the rest of society.  And yet the Lord reaches out even to these on the fringes, to bring them to the full knowledge of the Incarnation. 

The angels begin their message with “Do not be afraid.”  This consistent message of Scripture is announced to the shepherds, and to us as well, because we, like them, are surrounded by troublesome and difficult things in the world, fallen as it is.  This is especially true when we seek to make our way in the world only relying on our own strength.  It is for this reason that those words, “Do not be afraid,” are followed by “I bring you good news” and “great joy” and the ultimate announcement that the Messiah and Lord has been born into the world. 

I am also moved by the reaction of these shepherds.  First, they go to manger: “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place.”  When the words of the Good News, the Gospel, is announced, the hearers must be drawn to place themselves in the presence of the Lord.  It reminds us, my brothers and sisters, that once again the message of the birth of Christ comes to us with the call to place ourselves in the presence of Christ in the worshipping community at Holy Mass, during the hearing of the proclamation of the Gospel at Mass and especially during the reception of Holy Communion, the very presence of Christ in the Eucharist. 

While they behold the Infant Christ Child, the shepherds have no words which are recorded in the Gospel of Luke, but one can imagine that they stand there in awe of this wondrous favor shown by Almighty God to His lowly people.  Words failed them because they were overwhelmed by the presence of Christ, God incarnate.  “So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the Child lying in the manger.” (Luke 2:16)  Words fail us still when we encounter the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist, Christ present in the proclamation of His Word and Christ present in His body, the Church, as it gathers for worship and the work of building the kingdom of God.  Our desire should be the same as that of the shepherds.  Since we know that Christ is present within His Church, we should have the strong desire to be present to Him there.  And to receive and behold Him as did those shepherds.

Lastly the shepherds are impelled to go out and spread the good news.  “When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this Child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.” (Luke 2:17)  This call is still given to us today, to go out into the world and share the good news.  Now of course it might not be in the same way it was done then by the shepherds.  They had on their voices to tell people individually about the presence of Christ.

This way, first given us by the shepherds, might still well be the best way to spread and share what God has done.  Each of us can tell those we encounter on a daily basis about the wonderful things God has done in Christ.  And yet, we also have so many more ways today as well: in the charity we show through our good works and support; in the great ministry that is done within our parishes; in how we choose to live our personal lives and family lives on an every day basis.  All of it announces the Good News that the Lord, the Messiah, is with His people.

Of course, this will not be an easy task.  We should not expect it to be.  The shepherds did not have an easier life because of this encounter, but in their sometimes difficult and arduous lives, they had a new comfort and joy in their daily living.  They lived their lives in a new and joyful way as described in the First Letter of St. Peter.  “Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord.  Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you.” (1 Peter 3:14b-15)

The hope that is in us, accompanies the faith and love what we share as well.  We cherish and share the faith that in the Incarnation, our Lord Jesus Christ came to His people as a Child in Bethlehem and comes to us still in His Word and in the Eucharist.  We cherish and share the love we express as brothers and sisters of Christ and because of this, the love we share with each other as well.  And the hope we cherish and share is that Christ will remain in our hearts and the hearts of those we love and truly change us, remake us and strengthen us in His image.

Christ came to earth in the Incarnation that He could approach humanity.  Through our drawing near to Christ in worship, in His Word and in the Eucharist, we then draw near to His divinity.

To the bishops of our Holy Church, to the priests and deacon and all the faithful, as well as our brothers and sisters throughout the Union of Scranton and the Nordic Catholic Church, I wish you all a blessed Christmas as we join in the our celebration of Christ’s Nativity.  My good wishes and blessings for a New Year filled with faith, joy and love in the service of our Lord.