We are all headed to a great future and a destiny that is especially for a people of God saved and redeemed by God through his birth, an occasion today that we all happily celebrate. A Savior has been born to us and we have become heirs of God's Kingdom and glory. Amen. Hallelujah!
Isaiah 52:7-10
...all the ends of the earth will behold the salvation of our God.
Singing belongs to a heart that loves. This event of the holy night with a hymn of joy is a reflection of the praise for the goodness and beauty of God which appears to us on that night Christ the Savior is born. It is the glory of God from which all beauty and goodness is derived. We join the singing of the centuries that unite angels and men to praise God and be a people of peace. Anyone who catches a glimpse of the glory of God breaks out into song with joy as today’s psalm tells us. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6 (3c)
R: All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm.
Israel or the chosen people designated by God as 1st born and elected for the particular love of the Father has taken on a new depth. The promises made to Israel were all summed up in Jesus when He was sent to the world. Jesus is the 1st born who belongs to God in a special way and the fulfillment. He is the 1st born of all creation. He is the truth prototype of man. He is God and man. He has broken down all barriers and opened up the possibility of true communion with God. As scriptures say, "Mary wrapped her 1st born and laid Him in a manger." He is the 1st born of all brothers and sisters and helps us to true brotherhood and love one another as one family, God's family. If we will just look back and recall in times past as is written in today's 2nd reading we can never deny the fact that there is really a reason for all of us to rejoice not only during this season but throughout the year. On this very special day which is Christmas day, we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today's 2nd reading explains, affirms and confirms what we are all doing during this season of peace, love and joy. Amen. Hallelujah!
Hebrews 1:1-6
1 Brothers and sisters: In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; 2 in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, 3 who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say: “You are my son; this day I have begotten you”? Or again: “I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me”? 6 And again, when he leads the first-born into the world, he says: “Let all the angels of God worship him.”
The idea of angels has always appealed to me most especially now that I myself have a personal experience and testimony about them. I have regarded them with so much awe and wonder after having been exposed to them for several instances when I definitely can not doubt their presence. As I have often read in my prayer book, they are considered as Thrones, Dominations, Principalities, Powers, Virtues of Heaven and all the other great and powerful names you can ever think of. It is usually that kind of thing which bewilders us whenever we are confronted by something astonishing and extraordinary. Upon reading today's gospel it just hit me that we are placed by God on a pedestal and ranked no less than an angel. As we celebrate the birth of His son today it reminds us that it is indeed a season to be jolly. The host of angels say, "Glory to God in the highest... Peace to men of good will" The speech of God and angels is different from man. To truly understand the angel's song, we are called to a free response of love. A response to God's love without which, we could not love. It is both grace and freedom. It can not be divided. It is an inter play between grace and freedom or call and response. God calls and waits for a response. He does not abandon a lost sheep nor does He allow us to be confounded by sin. He waits for us to join Him and sing with His angels. We are invited to sing with joy with faith that we are all bound by God. This we can joyfully claim on this very special day and all the days to come. When we are sometimes led astray from the truth by the cunning deceptions and camouflaged lies of this world, we should always realize that nothing is worth more than the privilege of being a faithful and loyal child of God. Let us not be duped by the enemy and firmly hold on to our rights as a legitimate citizen of God's Kingdom. Amen. Hallelujah!
John 1,1-18.
...the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man's decision but of God...From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace.
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