Christmas, the Nativity of the Lord
By Fr. Victor Feltes
Before all time’s beginning,
before creation’s making,
was our Lord, who is living.
Omnipotent, all-knowing,
unlimited, all-loving,
the self-existent Being.
This eternal deity
was not solely unity,
but divine community.
Father and Son, self-giving,
Spirit from both, proceeding,
Trinity, ever-living.
Though God could not be more great,
goodness loves to propagate,
so he opted to create.
The Lord said, “Let there be light,”
“earth” and “sky” and “day” and “night,”
“man” and “woman” in his sight
and in each did he delight.
Blessing us was his concern,
gifting gifts we did not earn,
minds to know and hearts to yearn
so we’d love him in return.
Like all things, he made us good,
yet, as God, he understood
human beings sadly would
freely choose to sin;
distaining the divine,
disturbing our domain.
Dissolution, desolation.
Division and dismay.
Despair and death.
Behold how in our world and lives,
sins stab and slice and scar like knives.
But our Lord lowers his lifeline,
a long thread throughout our timeline.
After the Flood and Babel’s tower,
God’s plan was launched with Abraham.
Summoned by the Higher-Power,
he journeyed to the Holy Land.
God vowed to him to give that earth,
to bless all peoples through his name,
and cause his barren wife to birth
a boy who would extend his fame.
Isaac was that wondrous son,
received back as from the dead.
His sacrifice was left undone;
as God supplied a ram instead.
(Note in Abraham’s descendants,
the Messianic lineage,
persons presenting precedents
repeated on the Gospel page.)
Next, from Isaac, Jacob came,
and suffered much from sinful deeds.
To “Israel” God changed his name,
and through twelve sons a kingdom seeds.
This tribe then west to Egypt fled
and grew up becoming many,
until from slavery God led
to “the land of milk and honey.”
For this nation, God appointed
from Bethlehem to kingly throne,
shepherd David, God’s anointed,
one with a heart after his own.
He was betrayed, mistreated,
but overcame each enemy.
God pledged there’d always be seated
a true son of his dynasty.
King Solomon, the peaceful one,
built with wisdom beyond compare
God’s temple in Jerusalem
for everyone from everywhere.
Isaiah’s prophesies foretold
and his consoling words record
how every nation would behold
salvation from our bridegroom Lord.
Then Babylon’s empire came
and took the Jews captive by sword.
But God removed his people’s shame
when to their homeland he restored.
These ups and downs had set the stage
for one night prepped thousands of years.
Between the old and current age,
the Son of God on earth appears.
It’s simple for our little ones,
the way in which our Savior comes.
A stable full of yellow hay?
Kids see a perfect place to stay.
Tiny Jesus is in his box,
asleep beside the sheep and ox.
His mom and dad on Christmas day,
as still as statues, kneel and pray.
That manger scene lit by a star
draws friends to Christ from near and far.
Our children lack experience
but maintain pure, sweet innocence.
They see with awe and gentle joy
our God become a baby boy.
Now that you and I are older,
we recognize complexity;
what Christ’s parents had to shoulder,
the burdens of humanity.
Joseph and Mary were displeased
when turned away from that hotel
and then unpleasant odors breathed
while giving birth where livestock dwell.
Stress-filled was that nativity,
mixed with their joys, feelings of dread,
as they combatted poverty
and unseen forces wished them dead.
The way of Christianity
is not promised to be easy,
but life with Christ, our deity,
has mercy, grace, and great beauty.
Our little ones are right in this,
though much in our world is amiss,
it’s right and wise to reminisce
on Christmas Day and feel great bliss.
Now to conclude, let us review:
God’s great goodness is real and true,
an ancient love that’s ever new
and through Christ’s birth comes into view.
So come to Mass — yes, please do!
His family’s less when lacking you.
This entry was posted on December 24, 2023 at 5:49 pm and is filed under Creation, Feast Day Homilies, Holy Trinity, Homily, Incarnation, Jesus Christ, Joy, Nativity, O.T. Figures, Redemptive Suffering, Salvation History, Sunday Homilies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
