Transfigured by the Cross
After God created man in His image and likeness, He always dialogued with humankind. But alas, the dialogue was soon interrupted by Original Sin; to resume it, God chose Abram, who thus became the first of the Hebrew patriarchs.
Abram, trusting solely in God’s Word, left his hearth and home in Ur, Mesopotamia, and walked into the unknown, to a place later identified as Canaan. The Lord had promised Abram: “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing (…) and by you all the families of the earth will bless themselves.” That is how Abram (meaning ‘God is exalted’) became Abraham (‘Father of many nations’).
The Jewish people are descendants of Isaac, son of Abraham and Sarah, and the genealogy of Jesus is traced to him. But equally pertinent is the fact that Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Isaac foreshadows Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. So much for the relevance of today’s First Reading (Gen 12: 1-4) to the season of Lent.
In the Gospel (Mt 17: 1-9) we note that the apostles Peter, James and John had a prevision of the Resurrected Lord. Jesus was “transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white as light.” And as though this were not enough, “there appeared before them Moses and Elijah [central Prophets of the Old Testament], talking with Him.”
At that point, Peter, as if to continue savouring the ambience, wished to stay put on Mount Tabor, but he was shaken out of his comfort zone when “a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.’” The apostles, who were filled with awe, fell on their faces. Jesus bade them to rise and not fear. And just as they had an insight into the Lord’s divinity, even if no inkling into His mission on earth, they also felt emboldened to follow Him.
Their experience was brief but marvellous. Jesus wanted His Apostles to treasure its memory and later testify to its truth, for it would be precisely Peter, James and John who would be destined to witness the Agony in Gethsemani! So, “it was fitting that their faith should be fortified beforehand and their eyes illumined by the effulgence of the Godhead.”[1]
To what extent are you and I fortified – transfigured – by learning of the apostles' experience? Or, do we, like Peter, only wish to feel good and dream of happy days to come? The Transfiguration was – and will always be – a sign that Christ’s mission does not lend itself to trivialisation. Also, we must be conscious of our special mission as Christians, and never feel disheartened or tempted to give up. When we look around us and see people wallow in sin, we ought to see how their happiness is only a mirage.
On the other hand, those who have chosen the narrow part are the fortunate ones, for they are continually transfigured. Jesus had instructed the Apostles to “tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” He indeed rose from the dead; and today, it behoves us to testify with conviction. But St Paul (2 Tim 1: 8-10) says that we have to also “take [our] share of suffering for the Gospel in the power of God who saved us and called us with a holy calling (…) and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.”
We can never thank God enough for our holy vocation. Being inheritors of an exalted tradition of faith in action, we are duty-bound to come out and call the world’s bluff. It is high time the world realised that by drawing back from the Cross it is in fact at cross-purposes with God’s loving plan of salvation. For our part, therefore, let us move forward decidedly and be transfigured by the Cross.
Banner: P. P. Ruben’s Transfiguration of Christ
https://www.ecwausa.org/the-transfiguration-of-jesus-in-matthew-17/
[1] Abbé C. Fouard, Jesus Christ the Son of God (Goa: Don Bosco, 1960), p. 263.
From Trials to Triumph
Today’s readings are a perfect start to Lent: they rewind to the creation of the human race and return to where we stand today. They are cathartic, to say the least. They invite us to renew our faith in Him who sent His Only Son to save the world from the havoc caused by our first parents.
The First Reading (Gen 2: 7-9; 3: 1-7) speaks of the Garden of Eden, where it all began. If it weren’t for Original Sin, the history of humankind would have been different, you may say. But then, why think only of the negative side of the Fall? God, who cranks out good from just anything, tweaked it in our favour. Felix culpa, therefore, “O happy fault that earned for us so great, so glorious a Redeemer,” as the Exsultet (Paschal Vigil Mass hymn) chants.
In the Second Reading (Rom 5: 12-19), St Paul gives a striking description of how “sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned.”
Further, “if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.”
That is, sin came in through Adam; grace, through the Second Adam, Jesus Christ. So, the Apostle to the Gentiles wraps it up as follows: “Just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so, through one righteous act, acquittal and life came to all. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so, through the obedience of the one, the many will be made righteous.”
In the Gospel (Mt 4: 1-11), Jesus, the New Adam, reverses the wrong that Adam committed in the Garden of Eden. And behold the spirit and substance of the Son of Man: whereas Adam feasted and fell, Jesus fasted and did not fall. Jesus in the desert represents the new Israel and the new Moses (both of whom spent forty years there) and the new Elijah (forty days).
What a pearl of wisdom Jesus presents when the devil tempts Him in His human state! Jesus says: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” This has since become the one invigorating thought for when we are tempted by power, knowledge and riches that the world deceptively offers.
Humankind, marked by sin since its inception, is now at a crossroads. We have misunderstood His loving kindness and have taken Him for granted. Finally, having quite lost the sense of sin, we are at a loss to know how to regain our innocence and obtain divine grace. Life feels like a combat, a minute-to-minute battle between the forces of good and evil, grace and sin, God and Satan, only to those with a pang of conscience.
How long can we continue this? Life is short and unpredictable. Let us be steadfast in God’s love, embrace the Cross, and experience God’s mercy. Let us not be disheartened, for if Jesus did experience umpteen trials and temptations, why won’t we? Like Him, we too shall triumph over sin and see the light of the Resurrection.
Banner: Sandro Botticelli's Temptations of Christ, Sistine Chapel (1480-82)
Where are the Fishers of Men?
On the third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Isaiah points to Our Lord as the Light of the World; St Matthew recounts the first days of Christ’s ministry in the wake of the arrest of St John the Baptist; and St Paul exhorts the Corinthians to remain one in mind and heart.
In the First Reading (Is 8: 23 – 9: 3), God in His goodness promises to break “the yoke of [Israel’s] burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor”: He would let it triumph over the Assyrians, as He had done against the Midianites, using men armed with clay pots, torches and trumpets!
However, what Isaiah said about Zebulun and Naphthali[1], both located in Galilee, is even more significant. This region had a large, non-Jewish, immigrant population; hence it was called “of the Nations” or “of the Gentiles”. Although the Galileans were considered of dubious ancestry, uneducated, and seditious, they were in fact more faithful to God than others who worshipped false gods. God rewarded Galilee by allowing it to host the Lord of lords and King of kings, who would be a Light to the Nations.
In the Gospel (Mt 4:12-23) we see the realisation of the Isaian prophecy. Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, and Nazareth, where He grew up, were towns in Galilee. It was here that Jesus undertook His three-year ministry. Upon John the Baptist’s arrest, Jesus settled in the fishing village of Capernaum, “in the territory of Zebulun and Napthali”. He soon attracted Peter and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John, all humble fishermen, whom he would make “fishers of men”. And “He went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity”. He urged them to “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Mt 4: 17), thus establishing a link with the teaching of His Forerunner.
But what is “repentance”? And is the kingdom of Heaven still “at hand”? Repentance is a change of mind and heart; it is a flight from sin to God. On the other hand, hardening our hearts to God’s call is tantamount to playing into the devil's hands. “The kingdom of God [or ‘of Heaven’, to the Jews] means, then, the ruling of God in our hearts; it means those principles which separate us off from the kingdom of the world and the devil; it means the benign sway of grace; it means the Church as that Divine institution whereby we may make sure of attaining the spirit of Christ and so win that ultimate kingdom of God where He reigns without end in ‘the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God’ (Rev. 21: 2).”[2]
Thus, repentance and the Kingdom of God are not passé but vital to our everyday life. They must be at the top of our minds, especially considering that enemies of the Church are lurking in the shadows. It may come as a shock – but it is a fact – that Rome is under siege, and so are you and I. Vatican observers state that the highest authorities, enchanted by the world, are playing into the hands of the evil one. Such reports are dubbed ‘conspiracy theories’ by those who wish to anaesthetize us.
However, who can deny that idolatry, indoctrination, deception, division, and demoralisation are the handiwork of the devil? That theological errors abound, moral teaching is being undermined, and tragically, inter-religious ecumenism is being given the advantage over evangelisation, are signs of the times. If this is not the self-demolition that Pope Paul VI spoke of half a century ago, what is?
The situation has never been so bad. Therefore, what St Paul said in the Second Reading (1 Cor 1: 10-13, 17) is now relevant to a much higher degree: we must be “united in the same mind and the same judgement.” In the early days, philosophical schools caused discord; in our day and age, Humanism borders on the very denial of God.
On the other hand, in these trying times, where are the “Fishers of Men”? To neutralise nefarious influences, it is essential that the powers that be uphold the Apostolic Tradition, that is, “the transmission of the message of Christ, brought about from the very beginnings of Christianity by means of preaching, bearing witness, institutions, worship, and inspired writings. The apostles transmitted all they received from Christ and learned from the Holy Spirit to their successors, the bishops, and through them to all generations until the end of the world.”[3] That is what true Fishers of Men ought to do, Ad Gentes: to the nations.
[1] Names of two of the twelve sons of Jacob who eventually formed the twelve tribes of Israel; they were brothers of Joseph, whom some of the siblings sold into slavery into Egypt, because they hated him. Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin survived.
[2] Pope, H. (1910). Kingdom of God. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved January 20, 2023 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08646a.htm
[3] https://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part One, Chapter two, question 12)
Banner: https://www.wallpaperflare.com/man-standing-on-boat-throwing-net-backlit-dawn-dusk-fisherman-wallpaper-alxue
Primordial Light
Last Sunday marked the Baptism of Our Lord. Historically, Jesus began His public ministry after His Baptism at the age of 30. Therefore, it is only fitting that the readings of the second Sunday should touch upon the primordial light of Christianity.
In the First Reading (Is 49: 3, 5-6), who is that “Servant” chosen to unite the scattered tribes of Israel and to enlighten the world with His Word? The Old Testament refers to several as “Servants of the Lord”: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Isaiah, Job, Nebuchadnezzar, and even God’s chosen people, Israel, often called 'Jacob'.
While it is no wonder that that title should refer to Israel, it has eventually come to represent Jesus Christ more specifically: “I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Although he was “crushed for our iniquities,” as Isaiah had said (cf. Is 53) that he would be, Christ accomplished His salvific mission. Christianity is the world’s largest and most widespread religion, with over two billion followers representing one-third of the world's population. However, since the light of divine revelation is still waiting to envelop the world, there is no room for complacency. Rather, it behoves us to be God’s instruments and say: “Here I am, Lord! I come to do Thy will.” (Ps 40)
In fact, it is the vocation of every Christian to walk in the footsteps of Christ and do His will without fear or favour. If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom 8:31) The Psalm teaches us that He is always by our side, stoops down to us, hears our cry, and turns our cry into a song. What is more, He asks not for sacrifice and offerings but for a listening ear and a willing heart. If we only delight in His law from the depth of our hearts – where God’s law is engraved – we will see that He is our only hope and salvation, and proclaim His justice in the great assembly.
In this regard, St Paul set a noble example to all generations in the Second Reading ((Cor 1: 1-3). In his self-introduction to the Corinthians, he announced that God had called him to be an apostle. He dared to establish a community in a city steeped in corruption and urged sinners to become saints. Thus, the local church of Corinth was a symbol of the creation of the universal Church. He warmly encouraged his people to persevere in holiness, for God is holy. What a lesson to be learned by those who easily get discouraged and begin to falter!
Holiness is a sweet challenge, and only a life of faith, hope, and charity can help us attain it. To this end, we must be alter Christus, ipse Christus – another Christ, Christ Himself! St John the Baptist, who knew the path to salvation, never ceased to say, ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord’. Although he was unworthy to untie the Lord’s sandals, he baptised Him in the Jordan, “that He might be revealed to Israel”.
Interestingly, Jesus and John, though close relatives, did not know each other closely; one had grown up in Galilee and the other in the desert. Nonetheless, John instantly saw that Jesus was the Messiah when the Holy Spirit descended and remained on Him, as preannounced to him by the Heavenly Father.
“The Holy Spirit had rested upon Jesus, not only to bear witness outwardly to the grace which abounded within Him, but to exercise an active influence over Him,” says the Abbé Constant Fouard in his classic work La Vie de N.S. Jésus-Christ (1880). “And therefore, so soon as the Christ had received this consecration He was ‘led by the Spirit’, St Matthew recounts; ‘led on into the wilderness,’ says St Luke; ‘sent out’, borne away, driven ‘into the desert’, according to St Mark”[1]. Over there, as is well known, the Son of God emerged eminently triumphant from a threefold attack waged by Satan. We should also marvel at how He emerged unscathed, “for having taken no part in the perversion of our humanity”[2].
On Jesus’ return from a forty-day stay in the Judean wilderness, where he had prayed and fasted, in close preparation for His public ministry, St John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him. It was here that the Precursor presented Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, as revealed in today’s Gospel (Jn 1: 29-34) tells us. To the Jews pursuing John, it was evocative of the oracle uttered by Isaiah: “The lamb standing dumb before his shearers, the Man of Sorrows, Who shall bear the sins of the people” (Is 53: 3). In other words, John was referring to his cousin Jesus as the One who would be immolated on the Cross, not as a mere symbol of the traditional paschal lamb.
“And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God,” the Baptist stated very confidently. Should not you and I too respond to the primodial light of our own baptism and bear witness to Jesus Christ, that He may always be “a light to the nations” and His “salvation may reach to the end of the earth”?
[1] Cf. Jesus Christ the Son of God, by Abbé Constant Fouard, translated from the French by George F. X. Griffith; published by Longmans, Green & Co. and reprinted by Don Bosco, Goa, 1960, p. 83.
[2] Op. cit., p. 84.
Luminous Epiphany
In places where the Solemnity of the Epiphany has been moved from 6 January to the Sunday falling between 2 and 8 January (both days inclusive), the readings are quite different from those that celebrate it as originally set.
Three parishes in the archdiocese of Goa celebrate the feast on the traditional day: the church of Reis Magos (The Magi), in Verem, Tiswadi; the chapel of Our Lady of Remédios (Cures) in Cuelim, Mormugão; and the church of Our Lady of Bethlehem, in Chandor, Salcete; where little boys play the Wise Men who followed a wondrous star to Bethlehem and paid homage to the Infant King.
The Epiphany (from the Greek ‘manifestation’) is an ancient feast that predates the celebration of Christmas on 25 December. It was central to Christian life because, although Jesus was born unsung, His manifestation to the Magi illuminated the mystery of Christmas.
The early Church combined the visitation of the Magi with the Nativity, the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan, and the Wedding at Cana, all of which pointed to Jesus as the Son of God. Only centuries later, at the Council of Tours in 567, the Church set Christmas day on 25 December, the Epiphany on 6 January, and named the twelve days between the two feasts as the Christmastide, with the latter solemnity marking the grand finale. The remaining feasts are spread out.
The day’s readings highlight an incomparably sublime event in the history of humankind: the manifestation of Jesus Christ. In the First Reading (Is 60: 1-6), while the prophet Isaiah looks at battered Jerusalem, he envisions it as the quintessential city that will be the Bride of the Lord. The city would manifest its glory, and the peoples of the world would flock to it with gifts, the same as the Magi would bring to the Babe of Bethlehem centuries later. Most importantly, by the end of times, 'all nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord,' as the Psalm says.
While the Gospel (Mt 2: 1-12) echoes Isaiah’s prophecy, it also quotes the chief priests and scribes as saying to king Herod that it was indeed written by the prophet (Micah 5: 1-2; 2 Sam 5: 2): 'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'
That reference is significant, for Jesus would give up on the fortress Jerusalem and choose to be born in humble Bethlehem. The temple authorities were well aware of the coming of the Messiah, yet rejected Him.
Herod’s wily ways should be noted: he was all sweetness and bade the Magi to let him know where the Babe lay. Almost in the same breath, he ordered the killing of infants under the age of two. This is a great lesson for us who are naïve vis-à-vis the world. Although the world enjoys the benefits of Christian civilisation, it is bent on paganising the Mystical Body of Christ.
What about us Christians? Are we alert and zealous to stand up and speak up? Are we imbued with the Good News and desist from entertaining fake news? Church leaders ought to see through the devious ways of the secular, and often anti-Christian, political establishment, and refrain from partying with the impostors.
We Christians must emulate the Magi of yore and reject the world's Herods. Those noble pilgrims from the Orient, astrologers and/or philosophers conversant with Hebraic messianic beliefs, were the first Gentiles to adore Jesus; they accepted Him while the authorities cunningly rejected Him, a pathetic drama that is still unfolding in our times. They offered Him gold, in acknowledgement of the royalty of Jesus; frankincense, as a reference to His divinity; and myrrh (not mentioned by Isaiah), pointing to Jesus's suffering humanity.
St Paul in the Second Reading (Eph 3: 2-3, 5-6) states that the Gentiles are indeed 'fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.' This is in stark contrast to the narrow and exclusive Jewish idea of Salvation. The Chosen Race had clearly failed God, so the Church is now the chosen race, royal priesthood, and holy nation. It makes you and me privileged bearers and proclaimers of His luminous message. Our task is to put the lamp on a stand, such that it gives light to all in the house! Instaurare omnia in Christo.
Banner: http://www.catholicstpeter.com/Epiphany/slides/adoration__of__the_magi-_fra_angelico.html
Under Two Holy Names
The New Year will be brought in with much fanfare the world over. The faithful will drive enthusiastically to church in their best outfits to pray for a worthy year ahead. Although it is the beginning of a civil year, we ought to honour it because Time belongs to God.
There is also a Christian facet to it. It is the Octave of Christmas and the first day of the Gregorian calendar as introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, replacing the Julian calendar whose algorithm had miscalculated the date of Easter.
Although the Gregorian calendar is now used in most parts of the world, some churches not affiliated with Rome still follow the Julian calendar. Ukraine is an example. A few years ago, in a bid to distance itself from the Russian Orthodox Church, Zelenksky’s country fell in line with the Church in the West and began celebrating Christmas on 25 December, instead of 6 January.
The first day of the civil year is also dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in celebration of her unique privilege and title as Mother of God. Accordingly, the readings dwell on the Mother of Jesus and on the Holy Name of Jesus.[1] The Feast highlights Mary's role in the economy of Salvation and helps us place our problems and concerns under her mantle.
The Catholic Church also celebrates the World Day of Peace[2] on the first day of the first month of the year.
In today's First Reading (Num 6: 22-27) one of the five books (Pentateuch) dictated by God to Moses. Called so because it begins by listing the numbers of a census of the Hebrew people, the Book represents a march of God’s people across the desert wilderness between Egypt and Canaan. During this march, the participants gathered experiences that eventually impacted their future. God asked Moses to request Aaron, a fluent speaker, to address the Pharaoh.
Aaron, along with Moses, delivered God's message to Pharaoh: 'Let my people go, so they hold a festival for me in the wilderness'. When Pharaoh refused, demanding to know who the Lord was, Aaron performed miracles (turning his staff into a snake) to show God's power, but Pharaoh remained stubborn, increasing the Israelites' burdens.
The blessing is a general priestly blessing for the wellbeing of Israel. It is often seen as being fulfilled in the Birth of Jesus. The mystery of the Incarnation was a fulfilment of a long wait; it was a manifestation of God’s benevolence and love for humankind, His supreme creation. His Son liberated us from the old law and from sin; we have also secured His blessings, the privilege to be called God’s children (rather than creatures) being the highest one for Christians.
Of course, none of this would be possible without the willing collaboration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is thus, very naturally, the Mother of God and Mother of the Church, which is the Body of Christ on earth.
This is why St Paul in the Second Reading (Gal 4: 4-7) says: 'God sent forth His Son born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.' His words highlight the human side of the Son of God, that He became man to first save the Chosen People, that He was formed by the religion of his ancestors (to us, the Old Testament), and that in time He perfected the law, whereby all men and women of goodwill would be saved.
Finally, in the Gospel (Lk 2: 16-21), the poor shepherds were the first to receive the Good News of Salvation. They met Mary and Joseph, with the Divine Babe lying in a manger. They soon understood the magnificent Hymn of the Angels, Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis, and became the first proclaimers of the Word made Flesh. They were adopted as children of God.
The fact that, at the end of the Octave, Jesus was circumcised and given His Holy Name, as preannounced by the Angel Gabriel to Mary, justifies the celebration of His Holy Name together with Mary’s title as Mother of God. It also explains why 1 January was observed as the Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus, with a Marian orientation predating it, since the 13th century. However, this feast day was cancelled by Pope John XXIII’s General Roman Calendar of 1960 and simply called the Octave of the Nativity.
Like Mary, we too need to treasure all these things, ponder them in our hearts, and be ever more faithful to Holy Scripture and Tradition. The Blessed Virgin, who had a unique understanding of Jesus's divinity and mission from the beginning, understood the full import of her Son’s words after the Resurrection and Pentecost.
We too ought to bide our time and put His Holy Name upon our world, pray for God’s blessing, and discern our vocation. Above all, by God’s grace, we ought to eschew sin, cease to be slaves of the world, and happily be sons and heirs. The affirmation of their Christian past and inheritance by European and American leaders signals a new grace that is entering our hedonistic world.
Banner: https://daylesford.org/the-solemnity-of-mary/
---
[1] The feast of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was first granted to the dioceses of Portugal and Brazil and Algeria in 1751 on the petition of King José I of Portugal. By 1914, the feast was established in Portugal for celebration on 11 October and was extended to the entire Catholic Church by Pope Pius XI in 1931. The 1969 revision of the liturgical year changed it to 1 January.
[2] Pope Paul VI established it in 1967, inspired by Pope John XXIII’s Encyclical Pacem in Terris (1963) and with reference to his own Populorum Progressio (1967).
The Three Christmas Masses
Did you know of the three Christmas Masses – Midnight; Dawn; Morning – each with its own liturgy?
The Midnight Mass is also called ‘the Angel's Mass’; the second, ‘the Shepherd's Mass’; and the third, ‘King's Mass’.
Although all readings are on the theme of hope, light, and salvation, each of the three Masses has its own focus and all of them are worth reflecting upon.
The First Reading is always from the Book of Isaiah, who is the Prophet par excellence of the Messiah and the Good News. The Second Reading of the first two Masses comprise passages from St Paul’s Letter to Titus whereas the Morning Mass is taken from the Letter to the Hebrews. The Gospel of the first two Masses is from St Luke, while the daytime Mass reads from St John.
The Lectionary carries a note: 'For pastoral reasons, one or other of the three Masses may be used at any hour.'
MIDNIGHT MASS
Why a Mass at midnight? It is traditionally believed that Jesus was born at midnight. The physical darkness is a reminder of the spiritual darkness we are steeped in, a darkness that only Christ the Light of the World can dispel.
The First Reading (Is 9: 2-4, 6-7) states: 'The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.' The prophecy is specific to Israel, whose king, Ahaz, had entered into alliances with kings instead of with the King of Kings. Isaiah announced to the hapless nation that the royal line would produce a descendant that would save them. Ahaz’s son Ezekiah was indeed a righteous king, but the adjectives describing him – 'Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace' – are infinitely more apt for Jesus Christ the Messiah, a descendant of the Royal House of David.
The Gospel account (Lk 2: 1-14) is about the humble birth of Our Lord, proof enough that His government would be of the spiritual realm. That 'there was no place for them in the inn' tells us of how the rich and mighty would reject Him, as they still do. It is no wonder that the poor shepherds were the first to be invited to visit the Divine Babe in Bethlehem.
After the Fall, there was a chasm between God and man. The Son of God came to overcome that barrier, yet we vacillate when it comes to things divine. Nowadays, when in the name of secularism, the world is steeped in irreligion and passions, let us heed St Paul’s advice to Titus (2: 11-14): '… live sober, upright and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.'
In this dark world, then, Christmas comes with a message of light and hope for humankind.
DAWN MASS
The Mass at dawn commemorates the shepherds’ early and eager visit to adore the Lord in the manger. As natural light increases at dawn, those who believe in the Lord are blessed with His gift of light.
In the First Reading (Is 62: 11-12), Isaiah announces the good news of salvation to the daughter of Zion, that is, Jerusalem, or the Jewish people. As the luminous Psalm says, 'This day a new light will shine upon the earth: the Lord is born to us.' This light will shine on the just, and joy will belong to the upright of heart.
The Gospel (Lk 2: 15-20) tells us that the lowly – represented here by the shepherds, who were considered the scum of the earth – are the upright of heart: they see with eyes of faith, and they glorify and praise God. Like little children, it is the lowly who are apt to inherit the kingdom of God.
Yet, we are never worthy. As St Paul says to Titus (3: 4-7): 'When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, He saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy.' Our baptism, then, is the dawn of a new life of the spirit.
DAY MASS
The third and final Christmas Mass is celebrated in broad daylight, symbolising the promised Son of God Who has been revealed to the world. The Gospel reading is a standing invitation to all nations to worship the new-born King of Kings, hence the name ‘King's Mass’.
The First Reading (Is 52: 7-10) announces the Good News to Israel, and eventually, to 'all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of the world.' How happy we should consider ourselves to be included in that number, thanks to the Apostles who visited our subcontinent way back in the first century (Kerala, Tamil Nadu) and later, other proclaimers of the Word, from the 16th century onwards (Goa and surrounding areas).
The Gospel (Jn 1: 1-18) strikes a somber note, that is, nevertheless, thought-provoking: 'The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world, He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world knew him not.'
How true that is of our world two millennia after the Birth of Jesus. We know Him not, and those who are privileged to know, care not! 'He came to his own home, and His own received Him not.' Jesus came to save Israel, and they rejected Him; He wants us to announce the Good News to the world, and what do we do?
How can we despise God Who has stretched out His hand to humankind?
The Second Reading (Heb 1: 1-6) emphasizes how 'in many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days He has spoken to us by a Son… He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his Word of power.' Let us acknowledge Him duly and gratefully.
RESOLUTION
This Christmas let us reflect on the power and glory of God and how we are privileged to inherit His light on earth and everlasting life in Heaven. Let us rise above matter and embrace the spirit; let us look beyond the physical and gaze at the supernatural; let us put the pettiness of the world behind us and live like angels on high.
Thanks to the Holy Catholic Church, the ineffable mystery of Christmas stays with us through the year.
Awaiting that Wondrous Birth
"Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."
We find those reassuring words in the First Reading (Is 7: 10-14). Isaiah said these things to king Ahaz, a young and evil king of Judah (731 BC to 715 BC) responsible for introducing idol worship and sacrilege against the temple of the Lord (2 Kings 16; 2 Chron 28). The Prophet wanted to win Ahaz back to the Lord by announcing the coming of a son named Ezekiah, who would save Israel. However, Ahaz despaired of God’s help and, putting his trust in kingly alliances, caused the kingdom’s decline and destruction.
Ahaz’s son Ezekiah became one of Judah’s most blessed kings. He reversed his father’s ungodly policies and restored the kingdom. He is seen as an initial fulfilment of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus. Isaiah’s words prefigured Jesus Christ, marking the beginning of messianism.
Can there be a clearer sign that Jesus was the One referred to in those words of the Prophet Isaiah? Some versions even translate ‘young woman’ as ‘virgin’. Who other than Jesus can claim virgin birth? What woman other than Mary ever gave birth as a virgin? Was it not clear that this was the Messiah that Israel had long been awaiting?
However, how many Ahazes in our midst and, sadly so, within the Church itself, have facilitated the entry of the “smoke of Satan” through a crack, as a Pope pointed out in the 1960s!
For our part, we have to “let the Lord enter! He is the king of glory,” the Psalm sings. St Paul in the Second Reading (Rom 1: 1-7) says that we are “called to belong to Jesus Christ.” This is an unparalleled privilege and supreme honour, yet how reluctantly we wear the badge! In some countries, atheism reigns; in others, indifferentism (the belief that God is indifferent to religious differences) rules the roost. Soon, such attitudes led to the renouncing of religious symbols in Catholic institutions in the name of "political correctness". It is another way of saying "God is dead".
Even in this blessed season of Advent, we find ourselves so engrossed in worldly things that we forego the birth of our Savior! It is disastrous that at Christmas, held with pomp and splendour, Christ is only a pretext for a mundane celebration. Should not the Scripture readings of this liturgical season and the Gospel (Mt 1: 18-24) of today, which dwells on the wondrous Birth of Our Lord, have moved our hearts?
In the context of Jesus’ birth, Mary had already been betrothed to Joseph when she received the divine call to be the Mother of Jesus. In those days, betrothal meant that the pair were husband and wife in all legal and religious aspects, except for actual cohabitation. So, even before they came together, Mary was with child through God’s design.
Thus, Jesus’ birth occurred in accordance with the Isaian prophecy. Yet, it was not without a trace of suspicion; and if we fast-forward to our times, some may be tempted to irreverently think of Mary as an unwed mother. However, it was clearly not so. God, in His infinite wisdom, had provided for Jesus to be born before the couple had come together, to make it clear that He was the “child of the Holy Spirit.” The virgin birth claim would have failed if Jesus had been born after the couple’s cohabitation.
No doubt, Joseph himself had reservations about Mary, who was with child; he even wanted to “quietly send her away.” Eventually, he believed the angel’s words: “Do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.” This was so unlike King Ahaz, Jesus' ancestor from the House of David, who became a victim of his own scepticism.
Thanks to Joseph the Silent Saint and Mary, who conceived without Original Sin, the world is blessed to have the Son of God become man to save us. For sure, the earth never saw anything more wondrous than the birth of Our Lord and Saviour.
Therefore, as we enter the last leg of our Advent journey, let us focus on our internal rather than external joy of anticipation. Let us, like people with clean hands and a pure heart, who desire not worthless things, await the divine event (cf. Ps. 23: 4), and let us wholeheartedly collaborate with God in His plans of salvation.
Joy beyond compare
If celebrating the halfway mark helps boost our spirits, then Gaudete Sunday does just that. Therefore, let us rejoice not only because Christmas is near but also because we have persevered in preparing for the Lord’s coming.
This Sunday draws its name from the Latin Missal’s introit, which reads: “Gaudete in Domino semper,” meaning “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Besides the pink or rose of the candle and of the priestly vestments symbolising joy, the readings, imbued with a supernatural joy, help us bide our time to contemplate the Babe of Bethlehem.
However, can we really rejoice with the enveloping world of war, disease, corruption, climate change, suffering, and unrest? Will it be possible to rejoice only in Messianic times?
In the First Reading (35: 1-6a, 10), Isaiah speaks of the time when nature will rejoice and sing with strength at the coming of the Lord of Creation to save those who had longed for Him and suffered for the sake of His Holy Name.
On the other hand, we can experience joy even though we live in this valley of tears. It is not a superficial joy brought in with festoons, but a supernatural joy that comes with faith. This joy is not a mere sensation but an act of the will—not dependent on what we feel but on what we consciously wish to feel. Truly, Christian joy is guided by our conviction that God moves and controls all history; it is not contingent on the ups and downs of daily life. By His Incarnation, we know that He is there for us and saves us: easily a cause for rejoicing, isn’t it?
In the Second Reading (Jam 5: 7-10), the Apostle[1] addresses Christians of Jewish origin. It is more of a moral teaching than a doctrinal teaching. He preaches patience, akin to that of a farmer awaiting “the precious fruit of the earth,” or a woman expecting a baby. His wise counsel is to “establish your hearts”; to “not grumble against one another”; and to “take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord” as role models. Simple yet effective advice. If we conduct ourselves in keeping with our faith and cultivate prudence and resignation, we will soon be on the highroad to holy joy.
Of joy, we have a harbinger in St. John the Baptist, one of the many prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. In the Gospel (Mt 11: 2-11), Jesus says that John is “more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.’" Yet, the Forerunner of Christ, wanting to be doublesure, demands to know if Jesus is indeed the Messiah that they were waiting for. His humble ministry did not match that of the fiery, conquering Messiah expected by many.
For his part, the Messiah defines his scope of action and directs John’s gaze to how He (Jesus) fulfilled the Isaian prophecy. He had given sight to the blind and let the lame walk; He had cleansed the lepers, cured the deaf, and raised the dead. The poor in spirit acknowledged those wonders; others, finding no place for the Lord, went on from smugness to spiritual blindness and hard-heartedness.
Where do we stand? Do we realise that Jesus is the Messiah as announced by Isaiah and John? Are we poor in spirit? Do we acknowledge our spiritual need for God, like the poor shepherds did as they kept watch over their flocks by night? It is no wonder that they were chosen to be the first to hear the Good News and received it with joy.
Owing to the shepherds’ proverbial joy, the third candle of Advent is called the Shepherd’s Candle. As we light it today, may we receive the grace to be increasingly hopeful and better prepared to meet the Lord. Our joy will be beyond compare.
---
[1] “Brother [cousin] of the Lord” (Gal 1: 19), a man of great reputation but barely mentioned in the Gospel. He began to believe in Jesus only after the Resurrection and a few years after Pentecost was a leader responsible for Christian communities having a majority of Jews in Palestine, Syria and Cilicia (present-day Turkey) (cf. Acts 15: 13-29) Of all the apostles, he was the most attached to Jewish traditions – the extreme opposite of St Paul.
A story of great promise
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you,” St Augustine says in his famous Confessions. Thankfully, as we enter the second week of Advent, the Prince of Peace gives us the grace to achieve peace of mind and heart.
When the Lord touches us, life changes for the better. So it was with Jesse, a sheep farmer in Bethlehem, whose youngest son, David, received God’s call to be the king of Israel. David’s reign and that of his son Solomon formed a golden era, but soon after that, Israel began to produce godless kings.
In those dark hours, Isaiah’s prophecy, heard in today’s First Reading (Is 11: 1-10), was heart-warming: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” That regal shoot would be wise and clever like Solomon, prudent and strong like David; knowledgeable and respectful like Moses and the Patriarchs.
Clearly, Isaiah’s words referred to the Messiah. Born seven centuries later, Jesus was the “root of Jesse” who would provide an ensign to the Gentiles and pagans. The Jews, long awaiting a Messiah, did not acknowledge the Carpenter’s Son; it was their loss and our gain, for now we can hope for the Lord’s Second Coming, when, “Justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails.” (Ps 71: 7-8) And “justice” (sanctity or victory over sin) will cause peace.
The Gospel of St Matthew (3: 1-12) takes us back to Isaiah, who had pointed to “the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight’”—unmistakably the future John the Baptist! His message is as relevant today as it was when Jewish high society’s observance of religious precepts was mere tokenism or façadism. They were formalist and materialist, just as the world today is consumerist to boot.
What a far cry from the austere life of the Baptiser. Like the prophets of old, especially Elijah (cf. 2 Kings 1:8), he wore a camel’s hair garment, strapped a leather belt around his waist, and survived on locusts and wild honey. His mission was to serve: by announcing the Good News, baptising[1] the repentant, and denouncing the wicked. He called the bluff of the Pharisees and the Sadducees[2]—that “brood of vipers”—demanding that they “bear fruit that befits repentance” rather than bask in Abraham’s glory.
The promise of salvation continues through the Church. St Paul (Rom 15: 4-9) was convinced that “whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Jesus followed the law even as he sought to perfect it.
Take circumcision. The act, which was at the heart of God’s covenant with Abraham, was meant to retrench and restrain the animal man as it removed a part of his body.[3] Yes, Christians do without it, for, as St Thomas of Aquinas noted, circumcision was only “a figure of baptism”—that is, baptism has superseded it!
Salvation is a long story of great promise! However, St John the Baptist does not fail to warn that a time will come (the Final Judgement) when “every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” When the Lord comes again, He will divide the wheat from the chaff. He will “gather His wheat into the granary, but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."
Two millennia ago, St John the Baptist was privileged to witness the incomparable First Coming of Jesus. Repentance is fundamental for those of us who wish to witness His glorious Second Coming and be part of that story of great promise.
[1] St John himself points to how Jesus would baptise differently: “I am baptizing you with water, for repentance . . . He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Mt 3:11).
[2] The Pharisees were zealous observers of the law and of oral tradition; the Sadducees hailed from priestly families and were politically connected, despising tradition and sticking to the written law; a third group comprised the Scribes, who were doctors of the law that interpreted the Torah.
[3] Cf. https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/circumcision