Four Ma.sses are ce/ebratert for the feasf af Chnsfmas, and each is giren ifs own saf of readings fo he/p
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Cirrist's birth.The GospelforlheurgilfidasscnChr'sfmasEyei'stakenfrom thebeginningaf the Gospe/of fulatthew.The Adass af mirtnight proclarins the birth of Jesys using fJre Gospel af l-uke. Ifte Mass af dawn an Christmas rnofflng confrirues fire sfo4y of fhe birftr of Jesus as founc/ rir Luke's Gospe/ thraugtt fh e shephords' visif trs the infant Jesus. In eacir of fhese Gospe/ readings, we hear porlions of lhe lnfancy A/arra$ves with whiclt fi/e are familiar.
Gospel Reflectian Readirigs for Midnighf Mass lsaiah 9;1-6; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14 During the Christma$ sea$on, our liturgy invites us to consider the birth of the Lord from many vantage pornts" As we begin this season, it is useful to remernber that the stones of Jesus' birth and childhood are found irr only two of our Gospels, Matthew and Luke. Throughout this season, we will hear stories from both Gospels. Those Gospels tell different but complementary stories about Jesus' birth, highiighting items of theological importance about the lncarnation and the salvation that Jesus brings.
On this day, the Feast of Christmas, we are given the details of Christ's birth as found in the Gospel of Luke. Here we learn about the census that brings Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem, where Jesus is born. We also hear about the angel's announcement of this good news to the shepherds. ln these details, we find tuvo of Luke's particular concerns: (1) to locate the coming of Christ in the wider, framework of salvation history as good news for all people, Gentiles and Jews, and (2) to show the Lord's favor upon the poor and lowly. ln Luke's Gospel, Jesus is born as one of the poor. Laid in a manger in a stable, because there was no room at the inn, he comes into the world through obscure and surprising means. Yet, as the angel proclaims this good news to the shepherds, this infant is announced as the Messiah and Lord. ln the song of the angels, ail are invited to give glory to God for this miraculor"rs birth, in which God comes to share cur humanity. The angels sing that Jesus' coming brings peace. Yet there is little in the details of this Gospel that gives evidence of peace. Jesus is born as a traveler away from home, born in a stable in a crowded city under the occupation of foreigners. The aopearance of the angel t* the shepherds frightens thern. When tire angels proclaim Jesus' birth as the harbinger of "peace on earth," ihe evangelist Luke cle*rly wanis us to take the long view. The shepherds are irivited to claim a faith that will enable them io ses lhis infant as a sign God's protnise of a messiah. li rrt tllrough sitch faith that one finds the pe;:ce of v,ihich th* ang*is
Gospel Reflection Readrngs far Christmas Day lsaiah 52:7 - 10; Hebrews 1:1 - 6; Jahn 1;1 - '18 The Gospei for the Christmas fu'lass cluring the day is taken from the beginning of John's Gospei, but this Gospel is not an lnfancy irlarrative like those for:nd in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. lnstead, John's Gospel b*gins ai the beginning, as it were, and presents the Creation story as the framework for announcing the lncarnation. John's opening words, "ln the beginning . ." echo the opening verse of the Book of Genesis. This frarnework invites us to view Jesus" birth from God's perspective. Each of the Gospels makes clear that Jesus' birth was the result of God's initiative. However, John's Gospel highlights that this was the divine intention frorn the very beginning. from the moment of Creation. As we observe in today's reading, the Gospel of John includes highly philosophical anci theological language. One example that particularly stands out is John's use of the expression, "Word of God.' This expression (/o6ros in the Greek) borrows from a concept found in both Jewish and Greek thought. !n Jewish thought, this phrase describes God taking action-for example, in the Creation story and in the Wisdom literaiure. ln Greek, or Hellenistic, thought, the logos was understood as an intermediary between God and humanity. iohn and others in the earty Church adopted this language 10 describe God's incarnaiion in ..lesus. As the term was used to express the trinitarian faith of Christians, the word Logos came to be equated with the Seccnd Ferson of the Trinity. ln this proiogue to the Gospel of John, the nlain themes that will be developed in his Gospel are introduced. These
themes are presented as dualities:
lightldarkness, We also hear in life/death, and belief/unbelief. truth/faisehood,
this prologue a unique aspect of John's Gospel*the motif of testimony. John the Baptist was sent by God to testify about Jesus, the light. Others in this Gospel will also offer testimony ai:out Jesus" The reader is invited to aecept this te$timony, which bears witnes*es to Jesus, the Son of God. But even more directly, jesus' action and words will themselves testify to his icJentity with God as God's lncar"nate Word" Thir:krng aboi,rl Jesus' trirth in Ni'iEse th*cloglcal and cosmoicgical terms seems parli*i:larly appropriate as we celebrilte th* feast af Christnras in th* darkness ai winier. At this tinre, nff1iir* ii"seli seems t* remind us of the derkness o{ sin. intcr this riarkr-l*ss, in il"te *-riCst i-rf oirr ti:riliiness. Gnd ccnit:s to dweli amonq us. John's Gcspei rcn:ind*e us thal ihrougf"r th* i*carr*tlcn, G*d saves u: fi *rl thc dai"knest oi siri alrd ir:akes lls his children.
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