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From Archbishop Donoghue|
The Solemnity of Christmas |
Dear Friends in Christ, Around Thanksgiving every year, a certain kind of madness takes hold on this nation - we all experience it - the madness that Christmas is coming and we had better get ready. Money has to be allocated, lists compiled, days set aside for shopping - gifts must be bought, wrapped, stamped and delivered - the grand old family recipes for fruit cake and egg nog are researched anew, the baubles and ornaments of generations passed are hauled down from the attic, trees are trimmed, lights go up, front doors and yards from College Park to West End to Buckhead, Roswell and points beyond take on the disguise of Currier and Ives Christmas Cards, and no matter where you go, endless arrangements of carols, songs and hymns insist that we be joyful, that we be jolly, that we deck the halls, ring the bells, and drink the cup of good cheer. And truly, in a nation beset by troubles, this Christmas madness is a kind of nationally shared fun - a celebration of the year gone by, and better times to come. But Scripture teaches us that where the madness of the world ends, there begins the wisdom of God - and truly, the Yuletide folly now finds its Master - the day of redemption is at hand, and finally, we turn our minds and souls toward a contemplation of the true meaning of Christmas - the birth of God, the miracle of the Divine become human - the wisdom of God come down from on high. The stage is set by the prophetic words from the 9th chapter of the Book of Isaiah, which are the first words of Scripture read at Midnight Mass:
And in the Gospel read at Mass on Christmas day, St. John tells us that “. . . the true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.” But a great paradox exists herein, and as we touch on the deep mystery of the Incarnation, we encounter the wisdom of God which surpasses our understanding. For this Light does not shine from outside, like the sun, which reveals the face of things as the earth turns, but then recedes into the shadows of time as the day passes - no, this light shines from within: from within the mind of the Creator God - from within the immaculate womb of the Virgin - and from within the burning courage of Jesus Himself. This is the gift God offered us in Bethlehem of Judea - this is the gift God offers us right now - a Child of constant love, and a light that will never dim in the heart that is true. This mystery by which we are blessed with the indwelling presence of God is full of contrary signs - signs that appeal not to the accepted ways of the world, but instead to the challenge of God’s call. For it is not by man’s seed that Jesus Christ is born, but by the quickening power of the Holy Spirit of God - it is not to the rulers and potentates of earthly empires that God sends His angels with their proclamation of peace and glory, but to shepherds in a field, poor men, who watch their flocks by night - it is not in the form of a demigod warrior that God appears as man, but as a child, born like us all, to die like us all - and finally, the mission of the Heavenly Child is not to take the earth by storm and conquer man’s will by force, but instead, the mission of the Child is to give Himself for us, and to draw us together by His love. These are the unexpected ways of God, and in the letter of St. Paul to Titus, which is read at the Mass of Dawn on Christmas Day, the apostle explains as best he can the compassion of the Creator: When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any righteous deeds we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the baptism of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he lavished on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs, in hope, of eternal life. My brothers and sisters, it is certain that in aspiring to an understanding of these mysteries this side of heaven, we betray the sweet compulsion which fills our souls - a compulsion to know the Sublime Author who could write the story of our existence - to know the Divine Artist who could conceive the “glory of the heavens” and the beauty of Nature - to know the pre-eminent Being who has made us in His image - and in knowing Him, to know ourselves. But below this dizzying level of aspiration, and on the solid ground of human comprehension, we can with certainty understand the picture before us on this Christmas day, the picture of the human family surrounding Jesus Christ when He appears on earth. Perhaps no other image in the entire faith tradition has produced more paintings, poems, essays and musical compositions than the image of the Nativity of Our Lord, its list of characters fitting our understanding, with the comfort of friends and personalities long known: Mary, the gentle but strong mother, a willing partner with God for the sake of Her Son, a faithful woman; Joseph, who has accepted the call of God to be the guardian of Jesus and Mary - to watch over them, to provide for them, to carry them to sanctuary when danger threatens, and to lead them home when safety allows, a steadfast man; shepherds, friends from the field, called by angelic voices, and invited to the birthday celebration. And above this gathering that only love could have imagined and made real, angels hover in the heavens, and glorify the God who has made it so. This is the picture that God wishes us to see as we contemplate the birth of His Son on this Christmas day of 1993 - a picture of safety, of understanding, and of tenderness. May we this night capture this picture in our hearts, and make its ideals come to life within the context of our own lives. May all mothers love with the totality of commitment that Mary loved - may all fathers protect and guide with the silent but firm strength of Joseph - may we reach out to men and women everywhere, in a spirit of friendship and community - and finally, may we all, like the angels, praise from the canticle of our own joy the glory of God, and the peace He has given to soothe the madness of the world, echoing again the words of the old hymn: Love divine, all loves excelling, + |