FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD
CHRISTMAS DAY
December 25, 2019
WORD of the DAY
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.” (Luke 2: 9-14)
How shall I live this Word?
The solemnity of Christmas highlights the good, tender, and merciful face of God. The Son of God becomes human and is our companion on our life journey. Remembering God’s great love, which takes on the figure of a poor, defenseless child, Christmas invites us to be better and more welcoming towards others, especially those who are in difficulty, in the misunderstandings in our family and in society. A gesture of love characterizes this day towards the most forgotten and distant, remembering that every human person is the image of God who takes on the likeness of the neighbor whom we see. St. Augustine said, “You cannot say you love God whom you do not see if you do not love the person whom you do see.” Christmas is the occasion to show our love and our charity towards the people we see beside us. Only in this way will our Christmas be authentic and true.
O Lord, who loved us so much as to become one of us, help us this Christmas to spread Your love to everyone.
The voice of Psalm 95/96
Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his marvelous deeds.
For great is the Lord and highly to be praised,
to be feared above all gods.
For the gods of the nations are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and power go before him;
power and grandeur are in his holy place.
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