The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas), Midnight Mass, solemnity

Monday, 24 December 2007

Sts. Adam & Eve, St. Adele



Commentary of the day
Julian of Vézelay : "You make this holy night radiant with the splendour of the true light" (Opening prayer of Midnight Mass)

Reading

Is 9,1-6.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, As they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as men make merry when dividing spoils. For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, And the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian. For every boot that tramped in battle, every cloak rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for flames. For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, From David's throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains By judgment and justice, both now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!


Ps 96(95),1-3.11-13.
Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, bless his name; announce his salvation day after day.
Tell God's glory among the nations; among all peoples, God's marvelous deeds.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; let the plains be joyful and all that is in them. Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice before the LORD who comes, who comes to govern the earth, To govern the world with justice and the peoples with faithfulness.


Titus 2,11-14.
For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good.


Lk 2,1-14.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled 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 her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Julian of Vézelay (c.1080-1160), Benedictine monk
1st Sermon for Christmas (SC 192)

"You make this holy night radiant with the splendour of the true light" (Opening prayer of Midnight Mass)

“Peaceful silence compassed everything and the night in its swift course was half spent. Your all-powerful Word bounded from heaven’s royal throne,” (Wis 18,14-15). This text of Scripture refers to that most holy time when the all-powerful Word of God came to speak to us of our salvation. Leaving the intimate depths of the Father, it descended into the breast of a mother… Thus the Word of God came to us from his royal throne; it lowered itself to raise us up; it made itself poor to make us rich; it made itself human to make us divine.

It was this Word who said: Let the world be made, and the world was made. It said: Let man come to be, and man was created. But what the Word had created, it could not so easily recreate. It created with a command but recreated through its death. It created by decreeing, but recreated by suffering. “You have wearied me,” it said (Mal 2,17). In spite of all its complexity, the universe caused me no trouble to arrange and govern, for I “reach from end to end mightily and govern all things well,” (Wis 8,1). Man alone, the breaker of my law, has wearied me with his sins. Therefore, coming forth from my heavenly throne, I did not refuse to enclose myself in the breast of a virgin and be united as one with fallen humanity. After my birth I was wrapped in linen, I was laid in a manger because there was no room in the inn for the world’s Creator…

“Peaceful silence compassed everything”: that is to say, between the prophets who spoke no more and the apostles who would speak later… May the word of the Lord come again now to those who are silent. Listen to what the Lord speaks to us in the depths of ourselves. May all inappropriate movements and cries of our flesh fall quiet; may the disorderly images of our interior sight keep silence, so that our attentive ears may freely hear what the Spirit says and may hear the voice that is above the firmament.