The Solemnity of the Nativity of Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Solemnity of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

"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).

Our key Scripture for this Christmas Day proclaims how God's terrible and mysterious works comes to us. They come through SIGNS. God is a spirit and invisible. We humans are flesh and blood and material. This is why the Word of God became flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary. So that we can see Him and touch Him.

What sign did God choose to give the simple shepherds by which to recognize the new born King of the Universe? An embarrassingly simple sign. Not a baby in shiny Women's Hospital in Jerusalem. Not a baby on the Queen's bed in the royal palace. But a child "in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

This sign you may say is true to the character of God as we discover  in Holy Scriptures. Take for example, the signs that Jesus left the Church. The Church calls these signs Sacrament (sacramentum), meaning mysteries. A few examples:

#1 "Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.”  And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you." (Luke 22: 19 - 20).

#2 Baptism is another Sacrament, a Sign, a Mysterium.

#3 The union of man and woman in holy matrimony is another Sign or Mysterium.

So has God in His mysterious will decided to communicate with human beings.

We welcome Jesus this Christmas in His utter simplicity and humanity.

The best joys of Christmas are the simple joys of the shepherds of Bethlehem. Enjoy the truth that we can touch God.

Merry Christmas 🎄🎂.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com