HOMILIES

Dear Audience,
For better understanding of the spiritual message behind this homily I kindly remind you to first read and contemplate the biblical texts before reading or listening to my preaching - a human reflection on the Word of God!

The Nativity of the Lord (Year B, Midnight Mass)

Dec 24, 2014

3765

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First Reading

A reading from the Book of the Prophet 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!

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms of David (96:1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13)

(R) 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. (R)

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; 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. (R)

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. (R)

Second Reading

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to Titus (2:11-14)

Beloved: The grace of God has appeared, saving all, 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.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Gospel

A reading from the Gospel according to 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."

(P) The Gospel of the Lord.
(R) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Homily

A little boy about 10 years old was standing in front of a shoe store along the street, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold. A lady approached the boy and said, "My little fellow, why are you looking so earnestly into that window?" "I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes," replied the boy. The lady took him by the hand and went into the store and asked a sales assistant to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her. She took the little boy to the back part of the store, knelt down, washed his little feet, dried them with the towel and put a pair of socks on his feet. She then purchased a pair of shoes for him. She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him. She patted him on the head and said, "Do you feel more comfortable now?" He said, "Yes". As she turned to go, the boy caught her by the hand, and looking up in her face, with tears in his eyes, asked her, "Are you God's wife?"

For centuries, the Israelites had been looking up to the sky in despair and waiting for God to send down their Messiah, the promised King and Savior. God had told them exactly how it would happen through His prophets. He was to be born of the lineage of David to fulfill the prophecies. So they waited and waited and for so long that perhaps most of them had forgotten about what they were waiting for. And then, one day in the middle of an unassuming night over two thousand years ago in Bethlehem of Judea the prophecy was fulfilled. A child was born to a virgin woman named Mary while she was still engaged to Joseph, a descendant of David. He was no ordinary child but the Son of God. His name was Jesus, which means God saves. The angels of the Lord proclaimed the Good News of his birth to the shepherds. He grew in wisdom. He found favor with God and man. When the time arrived he began preaching about God's plan. He forgave the sinners, fed the hungry, healed the sick, restored sight to the blind, raised the dead, washed the feet of his disciples, lived a perfect life on this Earth, died a horrific death on the cross and rose again on the third day, and after forty days ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right side of God the Father. Even though the Israelites had been waiting for Christ, many rejected him when he finally appeared. Today many are still waiting for the first coming of the Messiah whereas we, Christians, are waiting for the Second Coming. Today our Church invites us on the one hand to celebrate joyfully the first coming - the glorious Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ - on the other hand, to wait patiently and be always prepared for his Second Coming, on his own terms and in his own way, whether it be at the end of the ages or at the end of our life on Earth or during the time of worship, or while reading the scriptures or walking on the road or when we are afflicted with ill health or hardships.

Why did the Lord Jesus Christ come into the world? There are many reasons why he came. Jesus himself emphasized the purposes for which he did not come. For instance, Jesus said that he did not come to call the righteous, Matthew (9:13). He did not come to condemn or judge the world, John (3:17; 12:47). He did not come to abolish the law or the prophets, Matthew (5:17). He did not come to be served and waited upon, Mark (10:45). He did not come to do his own will, John (6:38).

In today's second reading Saint Paul in his letter to Titus explains the whole purpose of Christ coming into the world. He says that the grace of God has appeared. For Paul, Jesus Christ is the grace of God given as a gift to humanity. Why are we given this gift? Like any gift we give to someone to express our care, intention, thought, gratitude or love, God has given us His Son Jesus Christ to reveal His plan and prove His love, grace, mercy and justice for mankind. The grace of God is not given so that we could merely learn about some concepts and values but to turn us to God. He is given first and foremost to save us all from sin, and then to train us to reject "godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly and devoutly" for which God kept sending prophets to remind us.

Jesus came to expose evil and, teach us to avoid anything that would offend and dishonor God. He came to instruct us to deny worldly and improper desires pertaining to this life such as material things, status, power, fame, attitudes and behavior that feed our ego such as selfishness, pride, greed and lust. He came to guide us to live a life of self-control without yielding to various passions and impulses; a life of integrity and uprightness in our dealings with others and live a life of service to the Lord and humanity. Moreover he points out that this entire process prepares us for his appearance and causes us to be active in our good works.

Friends, are you prepared for the second coming of Christ? After reading or hearing about Jesus, after coming to believe in Jesus are you a changed person today? Does your faith in the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ produce any fruit of goodness in you? If not, today you have an opportunity to start once again to live a holy life not just so that we might be blessed but that God might be honored and glorified. By looking at Jesus, listening to his teaching, receiving his body and blood, let us, little by little, let go off what is evil and violent in us, and become righteous and holy like Jesus. Now let us go and live like him.

(P) Amen.

Wish you all a Blessed and Joyous Christmas!

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