lundi, janvier 01, 2007

Midnight Mass (Octave Day of the Nativity)


Today’s liturgy shows again the humanity of Our Savior. The introit is the same as for Christmas: Puer natus est: a Child is born to us. This child is submitted to the mosaic Law, as every other Jewish infant. On the eighth day, He must be circumcised. His human nature is not an appearance but a reality. This is very important. We share the same nature with Jesus who is the new Adam. As Saint Leo the Great explains, “if the divinity of the Word did not accept our nature in the unity of His person, there would not be regeneration in the water of Baptism, nor Redemption in the blood of the Passion. But since we admit nothing to be false in the Sacrament of the Incarnation of Christ, we do not believe in vain that we are dead with the One who dies and resurrected with the One who rises from the dead; He who dwells in us and who, being God, lives with the Father and the Son for ever and ever.”

The Baby Jesus is also God. God and man, He is our Savior. This fact is signified by His Holy name: Jesus. This Holy name expresses in human language the mystery of the Incarnation, as much as a mystery can be expressed.

So dear Brethren, instead of a long sermon, I would like just to encourage you to meditate on the Holy name of Jesus and on the mystery of the Incarnation. There are so many things to discover about it that human words cannot express but that a soul can enjoy.

May Our Lord Jesus Christ take possession of our souls for His glory and for our greatest happiness. His Mother will help us to accept Him in our lives and to remain with Him forever.

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