MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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.” — Luke 2:1–14

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! — Isaiah 9:1–6

Merry Christmas and a happy conclusion to our Advent season to all our readers!

For so many of us, today will be filled with love and fellowship with family and friends. For others, Christmas will be a day of quiet reflection. No matter what kind of day you have planned, may it be blessed and full of love and all of the great traditions you celebrate each year.

The last three years have been a particular challenge for all of us, for a variety of reasons. We have struggled through a pandemic, conflicts with family and friends over political and cultural issues, and of course the ongoing issues in our national and international arenas of great weight and importance. The Christmas season and our readings today and for the Advent season remind us that this has ever been the case. We live in a fallen world in which tumult and unrest are constants, and in which fears of some sort or another are just as ever-present.

One point in particular comes through in regard to anxiety and fear in today’s Gospel reading and at the beginning of the Advent story. Luke describes the shepherds’ reactions to the presence of God’s herald as “great fear,” which is consistent with the reaction of others in theophanies throughout scripture. Even the reaction of Mary at the Annunciation in Luke 1:26-38, when the archangel Gabriel declares her mission, seems fearful — at first:

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

What happens after this? Mary did not give in to her fears but instead embraced her role as the Holy Spirit conceives Jesus in Mary’s womb. We sometimes miss that this presents a continuing theophany for Mary throughout her pregnancy, an intimate closeness with the Lord for nine months. By letting her fears go, Mary allowed her complete trust in the Lord to guide her and provide us with the opportunity to emulate her. Jesus came to bring the Holy Spirit to us, if we allow Him to abide in our hearts similar to the way that Jesus abided in Mary’s womb for her pregnancy.

That intimate relationship with us is what the Lord desires for us. He does not want us to run in fear from Him but to run toward Him as a free-will choice, just as it was in the Annunciation for Mary. That sets us on our own path of Advent, and it helps us as we stumble in sin along the way to salvation. And that is true no matter what our other fears may be, and how they guide and mislead us. As long as we carry the Lord in our hearts, we can find our way to Him. When that happens, our eyes will be opened to salvation and our fears will pass.

That is the gift that Mary gave all of us with her fiat. That is the example we must follow to bring our own Advents to pass and to experience the true meaning of Christmas.

May all of us find our way to the Lord this season!

The front-page image is a detail from the fresco “Nativity scene” by Guglielmo Borremans, 1733-34. On display at the Palazzo Arcivescovile, Palermo, Sicily. Via Wikimedia Commons. 

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