Erwin F. Arandia, SJ
First Reading
Isaiah 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 people 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!
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 95: 1-2a. 2b-3. 11-12, 13
Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
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 shall all the trees of the forest exult.
Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
They shall exult before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Second Reading
Titus 2:11-14
Beloved:
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 our great God and 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.
Gospel
Luke 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 Christ 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.”
Glory to God in the highest! Christmas has come! Today, Jesus is born. He comes to us in the here and now of our lives, to a world that is broken and hurting yet worthy of transformation and salvation.
From the time of our Lord to the present, all of God’s creation continues to suffer, groaning for peace, justice, and love. Poverty has degraded the lives of many, deprived of access to basic resources and services. Millions of Filipinos are unemployed without ample means to support their families. All over the world, different communities have lost their homes and lands, seeking shelter from conflict and persecution. Many grieve the loss of loved ones, taken and killed without cause, thirsting for justice. God’s creation has fallen victim to all sorts of atrocities, struggling to endure abuses that exploit natural resources and destroy the environment because of human greed and indifference. Our common home has been ravaged and diminished. Our relationships with each other have likewise been strained. We have hurt our neighbor, caused pain in the words that we have said, in the things that we have done or failed to do. We have estranged ourselves from God, turned our back on Him.
How then can we still celebrate Christmas in a world of strife and agony, when our hearts are broken, divided, and empty?
Returning to Bethlehem, to the Christ Child born in a manger, we realize and remember what we are truly celebrating. We rejoice because in our woundedness and despair, God fully embraces humanity by being one like us, helpless and vulnerable. God is with us, poor and lowly to share our pains and sorrows. The words of the angel to the shepherds thus give us the very reason to celebrate and hope: “A savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord!” In the darkness of the world, the light of Christ’s love shines forth. Our “ Wonder- Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace” is here with us. This God-baby in the manger thus reminds us of who we truly are and what we ought to do. In the letter of St. Paul to Titus, we are directed, “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…”
Pope Francis reminds us:
The Son of God was born an outcast, in order to tell us that every outcast is a child of God. He came into the world as each child comes into the world, weak and vulnerable, so that we can learn to accept our weaknesses with tender love. And to discover something important: as he did in Bethlehem, so too with us, God loves to work wonders through our poverty. He placed the whole of our salvation in the manger of a stable. He is unafraid of our poverty, so let us allow his mercy to transform it completely (2020 Midnight Mass Homily).
In our Lord we find renewed meaning and purpose and we discover hope to rise above our afflictions as we continue to seek the good not just for ourselves but for others, especially those who are suffering. Pope Francis further declares, “His disarming love reminds us that our time is not to be spent in feeling sorry for ourselves, but in comforting the tears of the suffering. God came among us in poverty and need, to tell us that in serving the poor, we will show our love for him.”
We are thus called to share this immeasurable love that we experience from the Baby in the manger to the underprivileged and marginalized, to be agents of mercy to others, to shine the light of hope in our weary world.
Looking back over your Advent journey, what reflections have been most meaningful for you? Speak with the Christ Child in the manger about these.
How are you moved to respond in your own poverty to the conflicts, divides and brokenness within and around you?
What are some ways you can concretely reflect God’s love and mercy that have become flesh through the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ?