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 Messiah 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.”
 

We have heard many sermons about Christmas during our lives. We feel that we know ahead of time everything that could possibly be said about this feast. Its real meaning seems to have reached us deep down before anyone tries to explain it to us. What we should do, we feel, is to be silent together, to look at the crib, and to let the scene speak for itself. But perhaps it would not be amiss for one person to express the simple thoughts aroused in him by the Christmas crib.

The feast of Christmas and our contemplation of the newborn babe in the stable has led us down into the very core of our being. It is at the very heart of our self that the new world, so earnestly sought by all, is being fashioned. It is there that each individual will encounter his Lord.

This Christmas marks the birth of Christ the Lord, who invites all of us to be born too. To do that we must first get ourselves together. Then we must go down to the depths of ourselves in silence and peaceful meditation. If we do that, then we will be able to nurture the spark of love that has been given to us so that each may know he is loved and capable of loving in turn.
It is not a dream or a Utopian vision. It is simply what the Lord asks, and it is the reason for his coming. He will give us everything we need to succeed. We, in turn, must be open to his presence and refuse him nothing.

In the spirit of Christmas, I want to share the above thoughts with you, wishing all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


Passaic, 2014.