The Octave Day of Christmas - Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Mother of God

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 464-469: Jesus Christ, true God and true Man
CCC 495, 2677: Mary is the Mother of God
CCC 1, 52, 270, 294, 422, 654, 1709, 2009: Our adoption as sons
CCC 527, 577-582: Jesus submits to the Law, and perfects it
CCC 580, 1972: The New Law frees from restrictions of the Old Law
CCC 683, 689, 1695, 2766, 2777-2778: In the Holy Spirit we can call God “Abba”
CCC 430-435, 2666-2668, 2812: The name of Jesus
 
Information about the Catholic Teaching on the Blessed Virgin Mary

Information from the Catechism of the Catholic Church about Mary

 

“Madonna della Misericordia”  
by Fra Bartolomeo 1515

Readings for the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Numbers 6:22-27
 
The Lord said to Moses:
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:
This is how you shall bless the Israelites.
Say to them:
The Lord bless you and keep you!
The Lord let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The Lord look upon you kindly and
give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,
and I will bless them.”
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Commentary on Nm 6:22-27
 
This passage contains the “Priestly Blessing,” or the “Blessing of Aaron.” It was to be used by priests to bless the people of God. “Let his face shine upon you,” would indicate an act of divine pleasure. As Christians, the final strophe of the blessing: “The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace” is seen as being fulfilled at the birth of the Messiah, Jesus, Son of God and son of Mary. It contains three strophes, each beginning with “the Lord” which some scholars believe prefigures the Trinity.  It asks God for the blessings of protection, grace, and peace. This blessing is preserved in the Roman Missal as an optional final blessing at the celebration of the Mass. 
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8
 
R. (2a) May God bless us in his mercy.
 
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
 
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
 
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
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Commentary on Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8
 
Psalm 67 is a blessing and has elements of the ancient blessing of Aaron from Numbers 6:22ff. This blessing has more of a plaintive tone (a group lament), or petition asking for a bountiful harvest. It points to the universal salvation promised by God to all the peoples.
 
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Reading II: Galatians 4:4-7
 
Brothers and sisters:
When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
to ransom those under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.
As proof that you are sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying out, “Abba, Father!”
So you are no longer a slave but a son,
and if a son then also an heir, through God.
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Commentary on Gal 4:4-7
 
“God sent his Son, born of a woman.” This passage, taken as part of the Gospel proclaimed by St. Paul, provides the Galatians with the important fact that Mary gave birth to Jesus. He did not mystically appear to us. Jesus is (was) true man: meaning he went through the biological birth process. It also means that Mary, the Mother of God, went through the difficult physical process of giving birth.
 
St. Paul goes on to remind us that, through this action, we are all adopted by God and are entitled to call God our Father, “Abba,” a familial term of endearment (translated into American usage as “daddy”). This term would never have been used by contemporary Hebrews as it would have been considered too familiar.
 
CCC: Gal 4:1-7 1972; Gal 4:4-5 422; Gal 4:4 484, 488, 527, 531, 580, 702; Gal 4:5-7 1265; Gal 4:6 683, 689, 693, 742, 1695, 2766
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Gospel: Luke 2:16-21
 
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.
 
When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
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Commentary on Lk 2:16-21
 
The message, given to the shepherds by choirs of angels, that they in turn brought to Mary, that she kept and reflected about in her heart, was: “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." (Luke 2 11-12).  Luke reveals the reason for the narrative, to proclaim that the birth of Christ fulfills the prophecy of the Messiah’s genesis.
 
This encounter with the shepherds further reinforces Mary’s faith, the acceptance of her child’s role explained to her by the archangel Gabriel when this wonderful and tragic journey began. The circumcision of the Lord concluding this selection stamps him as part of God’s chosen people, a son of Abraham.
 
CCC: Lk 2:19 2599; Lk 2:21 527
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Reflection for the Octave Day of Christmas – The Solemnity of Mary
 
First, let me wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year. This is a time when we generally take stock of what we want to accomplish in the upcoming year and resolve to take positive action to accomplish those new goals. We may vow to lose weight, save money, or to work harder at school or at our jobs.  Our New Year’s resolutions are made so that the year ahead will see us happier and more fulfilled going forward.  Ironically, we also celebrate on this day the Solemnity of Mary, the high feast day of the Blessed Virgin, in whose son’s birth we rejoiced just eight days ago.  I say “ironically” because she, more than any other saint we venerate, more than any other person in the history of humankind, points to that which can give us all the happiness and fulfillment we can imagine – the peace of her Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
 
On this holy Octave Day of Christmas, St. Luke’s story of the nativity continues with the announcement by the shepherds of the news they had heard from the heavenly hosts (Luke 2:8-14).  In the context of the times, this would have been a singularly amazing event: shepherds abandoning their flocks (they never left their flocks), coming to the little town of Bethlehem in awe and wonder seeking a manger and a newborn child.
 
The magi had not yet arrived, and Joseph and his bride were in humble surroundings with their newborn child.  Here come a group of shepherds praising God, astounded to find this new king as they had been told, wrapped in swaddling clothes in the stable.  It was true: God’s messengers had announced this momentous birth, not to kings and princes, but to lowly shepherds.  It was they who gave the Prince of Peace the first praise upon his entry into the world as man.
 
Within this incredible scene is the new mother, Mary, Blessed Virgin, Mother of God’s great gift.  What must she have thought, seeing these reclusive herdsmen mysteriously drawn there by angelic choirs?  We recall that God’s touchpoints with her had been early in her pregnancy.  She was told what to expect (as was St. Joseph) but that had been some time ago.  Even the greeting of St. Elizabeth (“Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb”) had been several months earlier.  The little mother must have been somewhat puzzled by the events as they had unfolded.  To our best knowledge, she was never told that she would not have this child in the traditional setting, in her home with kinswomen around her.  When she came due and delivered this baby in a manger, of all places, she must have wondered if Gabriel’s message and St. Elizabeth’s greeting had been a dream. 
 
But here come shepherds, praising God, and giving thanks for her son, God’s Son, now nestled in her arms.  They spoke of heavenly hosts and glad tidings of great joy, and she knew, she knew it was all true.  This child she had carried and nurtured was destined to be the salvation of the world, and she had brought this new life into the world.  And this gift and responsibility she silently pondered, perhaps again saying in her heart: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.  My spirit rejoices in God my savior!”
 
In that opening offering from the Magnificat, we see the attitude of one truly “full of grace.” In her humility she shows us the grace of her then unborn son, already giving the gift of God’s peace.  What more can we hope for from our New Year’s resolutions than to find an interior peace that gives us the ability to overcome all obstacles, to endure any trial?
 
As we consider what we hope to accomplish in this New Year, let us make a pledge to emulate Mother Mary, and put it at the very top of that list.  If we, like the Blessed Virgin, focus all our efforts for the greater Glory of God through Christ Jesus, our Mother’s prayers will be with us and our success will be that much more assured.
 
On this, the solemn feast of Mary, we remember how she began her wondrous and tragic journey.  We see her sacrifice, faith, and grace as examples of what we strive to become in the service of the son she gave us, the Son of God who takes away the sins of the world.  Today we pray fervently for her intercession, for she has become Queen of Heaven, and as such, has the special favor of her son.  May we faithfully continue our journey to Jesus this year and conform ourselves to him and his mother.
 
Pax
 

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, Published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture is “Madonna della Misericordia”  by Fra Bartolomeo 1515.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

(Optional Memorial of Saint Sylvester I, Pope)
 
Proper readngs for the Memorial of St. Sylvester I
Biographical information about St. Sylvester I

“The Creation of Adam”
by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1508-12

 
Readings for the Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 1 John 2:18-21
 
Children, it is the last hour;
and just as you heard that the antichrist was coming,
so now many antichrists have appeared.
Thus we know this is the last hour.
They went out from us, but they were not really of our number;
if they had been, they would have remained with us.
Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number.
But you have the anointing that comes from the Holy One,
and you all have knowledge.
I write to you not because you do not know the truth
but because you do, and because every lie is alien to the truth.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 2:18-21
 
After telling his community that they were armed against evil by their knowledge of Christ, the author now tells them that the hour is near. Christ has died and is risen, and the second coming must be approaching. He warns them to be alert and watch out for the antichrist. (This designation occurs only in the writings of St. John. In Matthew and Mark, they are called false messiahs, in St. Paul’s letters the same person(s) is designated “lawless one.”) This group of “antichrists” mentioned by the biblical authors seems to indicate a group of persons who were teaching falsely about Jesus.
 
St. John identifies these antichrists as individuals who schismatically leave the faith community, holding false premises. He then tells those who are faithful to be steadfast because they are anointed in the truth.
 
CCC: 1 Jn 2:18 670, 672, 675; 1 Jn 2:20 91, 695
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96:1-2, 11-12, 13
 
R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
 
Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all you lands.
Sing to the Lord; bless his name;
announce his salvation, day after day.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
 
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 before the Lord.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
 
The Lord comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
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Commentary on Ps 96:1-2, 11-12, 13
 
This song of praise exhorts the people to praise the Lord for his wondrous works of creation. The reason for this exhortation is that God will come to rule the earth with his justice. In this passage we see the forerunner of the understanding of the new Jerusalem – the heavenly kingdom.
 
CCC: Ps 96:2 2143
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Gospel: John 1:1-18
 
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
 
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
 
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
 
But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.
 
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son,
full of grace and truth.
 
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed him.
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Commentary on Jn 1:1-18
 
The introduction of St. John’s Gospel first provides the description of the relationship of God and Jesus who is the Logos – or Word of God. The Word is light to the world and all things are subordinate to the Word because they were created by and through the Word.
 
St. John then introduces John the Baptist as one who came to testify to the light (now homologous above with the Word). His message, like that of Jesus, was not accepted by the very people created by the Lord. He goes on to say that those who accept Christ are adopted by God.
 
Concluding this selection, the evangelist makes his own profession as he speaks of the incarnation of the eternal Son as “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” His divinity is once more established as he says, “we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son.” This was the message St. John tells us he was sent to bring. He then reestablishes himself as messenger and servant of the one who sent him, Jesus. He says that while Moses brought the Law, Christ came and revealed God himself.
 
CCC: Jn 1:1-3 291; Jn 1:1 241, 454, 2780; Jn 1:3 268; Jn 1:4 612; Jn 1:6 717; Jn 1:7 719; Jn 1:9 1216; Jn 1:11 530; Jn 1:12-18 1996; Jn 1:12-13 706; Jn 1:12 526, 1692; Jn 1:13 496, 505, 526; Jn 1:14 423, 445, 454, 461, 594, 705, 2466; Jn 1:16 423, 504; Jn 1:17 2787; Jn 1:18 151, 454, 473
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Reflection:
 
We are once more awed by the opening phrases of St. John’s Gospel as he tells us: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  Even as we reflect on the profound implications of these words, we are struck by the contrast in tone of the evangelist’s First Letter that was our first reading.
 
There is something important in that first reading, something that is central to our belief in the Word.  If we truly believe in the truth – that “In the Beginning” (before time, before creation) Christ existed in the Father and with the Father, “the Word was with God, and the Word was God” –  when we believe this there is a transformation within us.  That transformation is accomplished in us by God at our baptism and sealed in us at our confirmation.  If some later event occurs that drives us away from God, if some antichrist or false teacher places a wedge between us and God, that change of character is still there.
 
In the Detroit Michigan area, a few years ago a 15 year old boy was in jail for shooting and killing a police officer.  They treated him as an adult.  As the image of this young man was shown on the TV screen sitting in the court room, we could not help but wonder where had he been twisted?  At what point had those entrusted with the light of faith failed to protect him from those who had taught him to disrespect civil authority, that violence was an acceptable path?
 
St. John is speaking to his congregation about a different sort of situation. He speaks of those converted but not baptized, who were, in a sense, shopping for something to believe in.  When they fell away from the Christian community and began persecuting the Christians, some of the faithful wondered if God’s saving hand had left them. 
 
In our day and age, we see the same kind of thing from time to time as aspirants “explore” the faith, desperate to find something in which to believe.  We know that those who leave, who reject the faith, often find it too difficult.  It requires them to change their lifestyles, attitudes, or secular views more than they are willing or able to do. In the analogy of the light of faith, they blaze instantly, like flash powder, but then go completely dark – essentially burning out.
 
Belief in the Logos, the Word made flesh, and all that is implied by that belief, is hard.  Belief, true belief, requires us to act in certain ways, and often respond with counterintuitive actions, not in our best interests but out of love.  In this upcoming year, let us pledge to become more in tune with the Word, who was and is.  Let us work diligently to help the world become a better place where young people (and old) will not be left to the false teachers and antichrists of our day.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture used today is “The Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1508-12.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 531-534: the Holy Family
CCC 1655-1658, 2204-2206: the Christian family, a domestic Church
CCC 2214-2233: duties of family members
CCC 333, 530: the Flight into Egypt

“The Holy Family”
by Claudio Coello, c. 1685

Readings for the Feast of the Holy Family [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
 
God sets a father in honor over his children;
a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.
Whoever honors his father atones for sins,
and preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard;
he stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children,
and, when he prays, is heard.
Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;
he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.
 
My son, take care of your father when he is old;
grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;
revile him not all the days of his life;
kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
firmly planted against the debt of your sins
—a house raised in justice to you.
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Commentary on Sir 3:2-6, 12-14
 
"Throughout the book each doctrinal passage is followed by a section to do with practical applications, sapiential [wisdom] thoughts on moral conduct, eulogies of virtues and sapiential advice on where to seek things that are truly good, etc. This is the first such section. In it the reader will find an exhortation to prudence in all its various forms." [5]
 
This selection from Sirach is an exposition of the commandment to honor your father and mother. It goes into greater length about the positive benefits that come to the person who does so. It is also consistent with the early Hebrew belief that the honor received by the father of a household was transferred to the children (just as in the omitted verses 8-11, the sins are also transmitted to the children).
 
CCC: Sir 3:2-6 2218; Sir 3:12 2218
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OR: Colossians 3:12-21
 
Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him. 
 
Wives, be subordinate to your husbands,
as is proper in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives,
and avoid any bitterness toward them.
Children, obey your parents in everything,
for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children,
so they may not become discouraged.
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Commentary on Col 3:12-21
 
St. Paul exhorts the Colossians with a litany of positive attitudes that culminate in the cardinal axiom of the faith: “love one another.”  He goes on to implore them to let the peace of Christ control their every action and to praise God constantly through Jesus, God’s only Son.
 
The passage describes the rather controversial family hierarchy of the era portrayed by St. Paul. This entire section of the letter is a discourse on harmony within the family of Christ. It is important to note the instruction given in the first part of this reading. Paul describes the Christian rules for relationships: “Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another.”
 
When the subordinated relationships are described in the verses following, equality in membership in the family is established.
 
CCC: Col 3:14 815, 1827, 1844; Col 3:16-17 1156, 2633; Col 3:16 2641; Col 3:18-21 2204; Col 3:20 2217; Col 3:21 2286
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OR: Colossians 3:12-17
 
Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.  
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Commentary on Col 3:12-17
 
This shorter option omits the hierarchical relationship descriptions. Its focus remains consistent, however, driving the Pauline ideals of harmony and unity within the Christian family.
 
CCC: Col 3:14 815, 1827, 1844; Col 3:16-17 1156, 2633; Col 3:16 2641
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
 
R. (cf. 1) Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
 
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
   who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
 
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
   in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
   around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
 
Behold, thus is the man blessed
   who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
   may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
   all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
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Commentary on Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
 
Psalm 128 is a song of thanksgiving. It begins here with the typical blessings given to those following and having faith in the Lord. This selection uses the analogy of the family and the blessing it brings to the faithful, using the symbolism of vines and olives, imagery commonly used in Sacred Scripture.
 
It also supports the creation of woman and the marriage theme in Genesis 2:18-25. It is the logical extension of the two becoming one flesh and the children flowing from that union.
 
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Gospel Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
 
When the magi had departed, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
and stay there until I tell you.
Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
Out of Egypt I called my son.
 
When Herod had died, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream
to Joseph in Egypt and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel,
for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”
He rose, took the child and his mother,
and went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea
in place of his father Herod,
he was afraid to go back there.
And because he had been warned in a dream,
he departed for the region of Galilee.
He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth,
so that what had been spoken through the prophets
might be fulfilled,
He shall be called a Nazorean
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Commentary on Mt 2:13-15, 19-23
 
The story of the Holy Family fleeing to Egypt is provided in St. Matthew’s Gospel. Angelic messengers are sent to keep Jesus from harm, and guide St. Joseph, the father of Jesus. (Verses 16-18 which are omitted in this reading tell the story of the slaughter of the Holy Innocents in Bethlehem whose feast we celebrated on December 28.) The actions that follow accomplish the task of saving Jesus from Herod. It is also reminiscent of Moses’ flight from Egypt and subsequent return which triggered the salvation event – the Exodus.
 
The account also mentions that all that happens is in accordance with what has been prophetically revealed. The first reference, indicating that the Messiah was to be called out of Egypt, is a reference to Hosea 11:1. The second reference is less clear as there is no specific Old Testament biblical reference to Nazareth. It is possibly a confusion with the term “neser.” The Old Testament texts are Isaiah 11:1, where the Davidic king of the future is called "a bud" (neser) that shall blossom from the roots of Jesse, and Judges 13:5, 7 where Samson, the future deliverer of Israel from the Philistines, is called one who shall be consecrated (a nazir) to God.
 
“What a mystery that God, in order to protect his Son, the uncreated wisdom, now has to do so through the mediation of men! Have we sufficiently reflected on the fact that, after the Incarnation, the Father and the Spirit relate to the Son in a new way; that is, no longer to the Word as divine only, but also and necessarily to the Word as incarnate Man?” [6]
 
CCC: Mt 2:13-18 530; Mt 2:13 333; Mt 2:15 530; Mt 2:19 333
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Reflection:
 
We continue to celebrate the early events in the life of Jesus during the Christmas season.  Today the tranquility of the birth of the Lord and the accompanying rejoicing are shattered in a dream.  A messenger from God visits Joseph in his dream. This was the second time St. Joseph received direct guidance in this manner.  The first time was when he was reassured about taking Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:19-21).  This time the message is one of alarm.  He is told that King Herod wishes to kill Joseph’s ward and son, like the Egyptians from the time of Moses (Exodus 1:22).  He was instructed to flee to Egypt until the danger passed.
 
We can only imagine the alarm this caused Mary, the mother of Jesus.  There can be no doubt, however, that this devout family listened to the Lord’s instructions and immediately left the area.  We also know the threat was real.  Shortly after the Holy Family left Bethlehem, Herod’s troops descended upon the town and killed every male baby two years old and under.  Hosea the prophet had heard the cry of that horrible deed hundreds of years before.  Infants, who had not yet uttered a word, offered their life’s blood for the savior of the world (Hosea 11:1).
 
Nothing is known of the years Joseph and the Holy Family spent in Egypt while waiting for word from the angel to return.  There are tales in the apocryphal gospels about these early years of Jesus’ life but nothing authoritative.  What we can surmise is that these were years of great peace for Mary, Joseph, and their young son.  Their devotion to God was intense, since only one who listens carefully to God may hear with clarity the call to holiness.  Only one who intensely loves the Father would be chosen to care for the most precious gift ever given.  Only one who walks with God daily would hear the messenger who told them it was safe to return.
 
We rejoice today with the Holy Family, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, who is the Christ.  We rejoice for their years of peace and love, safe in Egypt.  We thank God for calling them back to Nazareth so the young Jesus would grow to manhood and fulfill the rest of his prophesied mission to bring us salvation.  Finally, we look to the perfect love expressed within the Holy Family and pray that our families may work toward that same unity.
 
Pax
 

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture used today is “The Holy Family” by Claudio Coello, c. 1685.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] The Navarre Bible: “Wisdom Books,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 399.
[6] Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I, Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 1996 p. 89.

The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

(Optional Memorial for Saint Thomas Becket, Bishop, Martyr)
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Thomas Becket
 
Biographical Information about St. Thomas Becket

“The Presentation of Christ in the Temple”
by Francesco Bassano, c. 1570’s

 
Readings for the Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 1 John 2:3-11
 
Beloved:
The way we may be sure that we know Jesus
is to keep his commandments.
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments
is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps his word,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:
whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.
 
Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you
but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
And yet I do write a new commandment to you,
which holds true in him and among you,
for the darkness is passing away,
and the true light is already shining.
Whoever says he is in the light,
yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.
Whoever loves his brother remains in the light,
and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.
Whoever hates his brother is in darkness;
he walks in darkness
and does not know where he is going
because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 2:3-11
 
This selection provides two consistent teachings of St. John. First is the injunction to keep Jesus' commandments. He uses the same formula we have heard before in this letter. If you say you belong to Christ but do not follow his commandments, you are a liar.
 
The second teaching is his favorite, perhaps because it is part of the great commandment and fundamental to everything taught by the Lord: “Love one another.” Here St. John again uses the darkness and light theme to demonstrate that the one who walks with Christ is in the light and the one who does not walks in darkness and is lost: “he walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 5b-6
 
R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
 
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
 
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
 
The LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty go before him;
praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
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Commentary on Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 5b-6
 
Psalm 96 is a song of praise acknowledging God as King of all the earth. It has roots in 1 Chronicles 16:8-36 as part of a chant of thanksgiving during the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to the temple in Jerusalem, but most importantly it celebrates God’s omnipotence and enduring salvation.
 
CCC: Ps 96:2 2143
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Gospel: Luke 2:22-35
 
When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
 
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
 
“Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.”
 
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce)
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
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Commentary on Lk 2:22-35
 
St. Luke’s account of Jesus being presented in the temple provides a unique insight into the Holy Family. They are faithful observers of the Law of Moses.
 
At the time Jesus is presented in the temple as required by strict Jewish law, we find Simeon, probably an old man in the last years of his life (“looking forward to the restoration of God's rule in Israel”). Simeon does two important things here: he affirms the nativity story with his profession of faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the one who came for all, so that all might be renewed in Christ and in God the Father, (“my own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people, a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel”).
 
The second of Simeon’s actions is to predict to Mary the difficulty her son will encounter in his ministry (“to be a sign that will be contradicted”), and the pain it will cause Mary herself: “and you yourself a sword will pierce.”
 
CCC: Lk 2:22-39 529, 583; Lk 2:25 711; Lk 2:26-27 695; Lk 2:32 713; Lk 2:34 575, 587; Lk 2:35 149, 618
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Reflection:
 
Sacred Scripture paints another aspect of the picture surrounding the events of the Nativity of the Lord with the story of the presentation of Jesus in the temple.  The Church celebrates a separate feast to honor this occasion later in the year (February 2^nd).  As we consider the event in this setting, the presentation takes its place with other things going on in the life of the Holy Family.  We know that they must flee to Egypt and that Herod committed infanticide to stop the infant Jesus from fulfilling his task.  We are not precisely sure of the exact timing (according to Hebrew Law, this event should have occurred forty days following Jesus’ birth), but like all things in the remarkable life of Jesus, this one too has a purpose.
 
The event itself shows that Mary and Joseph are scrupulous in following Hebrew regulations.  This is important because the Jews at the time, who would have been the first Christians, must have been taught that accepting Christ was not something that went against their faith, but was a completion of it.  The Holy Family did not flout Jewish Law and tradition as some of the contemporary religious leaders were trying to say; they were faithful to a fault.
 
In the temple they encounter another important person in Simeon.  Simeon, we are told, was a holy man whom God had already blessed with a long and faithful life.  His final desire, the prayer request he had made of God, was that he be allowed to see the Hebrew prophecy of the coming Messiah fulfilled. Through the eyes of faith, his prayer was answered, and he called out (in the words of our Night Prayer Canticle):
 
“Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.”
 
Mary and Joseph must have been surprised by this, in spite of their previous angelic counseling and the events of the Lord’s birth.  (This event necessarily followed the arrival of the Magi and their return from Bethlehem so they would accept this kind of reaction from individuals who were filled with God’s spirit.)  It may not even have surprised them that they were singled out among all the other parents bringing in children for this kind of attention, even though there were almost certainly many others following the same prescription of the law.
 
What practical lesson do we take away from Scripture? The focus of the Gospel is God’s presence in the life of the Holy Family.  Certainly, we must see the bond between Joseph, Mary and the Christ Child as somewhat unique in the sense that God is in their home both spiritually and literally.  But there is the example of how faith welds the family together.  It does not happen accidentally.  Rather through active family participation in the life of faith, forming that incredible first domestic church, the Christ Child is protected and nurtured.  His mission of salvation is, as far as possible, protected from the worst elements of the society in which he grows up.
 
The parents of this age have a much more difficult task.  First, the local community in which they live is probably not supportive of the moral and ethical teaching of the faith.  That means when the child leaves the protection of the home, they will be exposed to the worst of secular humanism from their peers and teachers.  Even in the home, technology lets in this erosive and insidious temptation to lead them away from the faith.  Parents today must work very hard to create the Light of Christ about which St. John so eloquently speaks in his letter heard today.
 
For us, now hearing this story once more, these amazing circumstances do not cause us to be surprised or awe-stricken as those first Jewish converts must have been.  What it should do, however, is remind us that this event represents another step in our continuous encounter with God the Most High Father, an encounter that has been taking place since the beginning of human existence.  Today, still basking in the glow of the festival lights of Christmas, we are reminded that this event is a beginning, and that what must now unfold is to fulfill the Father’s plan.  We remember also that that great plan continues and that we are a part of it.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “The Presentation of Christ in the Temple” by Francesco Bassano, c. 1570’s.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.