Sunday:       Christmas Mass at Dawn
Date:         December 25, 2003
Year:         C
The readings: [Is. 62:11-2; Tit. 3:4-7; Lk. 2:15-20]
The message:  Glorifying God for what we have heard.
Prepared by:  CATHOLIC DOORS MINISTRY
Total words:  1006

Click here for the Index of all the Homilies

Good morning everyone! Every year, we celebrate the birthdays of the children, the teenagers, the moms and the dads, the grandparents, and even those of our friends. Today, we are celebrating a very special birthday, the birthday of Jesus. And that special day on which we celebrate the birthday of Jesus is called "Christmas Day."

When baby Jesus first came into the world about two thousand years ago, His arrival was in fulfillment of the promises of God the Father. For many years, God's chosen people had been unstable. Sometimes they were faithful to God. Other times, they turned away from the grace of God and greatly offended Him. This proved that the Old Covenant of the Law that required all kinds of animal sacrifices for the remission of sins was imperfect. God wanted to do something much better, something that He had been promising for centuries.

To fulfill His promise, God sent into the world the Redeemer, the One who had been 'Sought Out' for years and years. The Redeemer was Jesus! By the grace of God the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit, through Jesus, we were delivered from sin. Through the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were restored in the eyes of God as a Holy People.

The birth of Jesus is a reminder that God has not forgotten us. It is a reminder of how much God loves us. It is a reminder that God has reached down to us so we in turn may reach up to Him with praises and glory in thanksgiving for our salvation. Indeed, we have not been forsaken by God.

The salvation that has come to us through Jesus Christ was not because of what we have done. It was not because we behaved as good people. Nor was it because we were nice towards our brothers and sisters. Our salvation came through the mercy of God that is received through faith in Jesus and the Sacrament of Baptism. Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we received our new creation, of the godly seed [1 Jn. 3:9] and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. No one by his own good works has the power to become a new creation or to draw the Holy Spirit within himself. For spiritual transformation takes place by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within those that He chooses.

God has richly poured out His Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Having been justified by the grace of the heavenly Father, we qualify to become heirs of the eternal Kingdom that awaits those who persevere in their living faith in Jesus Christ. We qualify to be called the children of God. We qualify to call God 'Abba' which means 'Father.' We qualify to eternally enjoy the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the heavenly angels and saints. To all this is the eternal love, joy and peace that we will enjoy in the Divine Presence of God. What more can we ask? And all this is given freely to us, not because we deserve it, but because of the love of God for us.

During today's Gospel Reading, we heard of the joy of the shepherds when they heard from the angels that Jesus had been born. Excited over the good news, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.

Like the shepherds who went with haste and shared the good news, we as Christians are also called to go with haste and share the good news. As lay Christians, you are entrusted by God with the apostolate by virtue of your Baptism and Confirmation, as a right and duty, individually or grouped in associations, to work so that the Divine message of salvation may be known and accepted by all men throughout the earth. This duty is even more pressing when it is only through us as individual persons that some may hear the Gospel and know Christ. [C.C.C. # 900]

Through the Sacrament of Confirmation, we received an increase and deepening of the baptismal grace. This grace united us more firmly to Christ. It increased the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us. It gave us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross. [C.C.C. # 1303]

By answering our calling to spread the good news to all those with who we come in contact, we glorify God for what we have heard. Who in their right mind would hide their joys? Does not a pregnant woman joyfully announce her goods news to everyone? Does not a married couple joyfully announce the good news to everyone when they have bought their first home? And does not a young child joyfully announce to his parents, relatives and friends that he is changing grade? The birth of Jesus surpasses all these joys. It is so great that the entire world is celebrating it today.

My brothers and sisters, today, as you enjoy the opening of your presents or enjoy those that have been opened, as you enjoy visiting your relatives, as you enjoy your special Christmas feast, in all things, glorify God for what you have heard. For had Jesus not come into the world and into your heart, none of these joys would be present in your lives today.

May Jesus be with you today and always.

* * * * * * * * * *

The readings...

[The readings were taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America.]

* * * * * * * * * *

First Reading...

"The Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: 'Say to daughter Zion, See, your salvation comes; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.

They shall be called 'The Holy People,' 'The Redeemed of the Lord'; and you shall be called 'Sought Out,' 'A City Not Forsaken.'" [Is. 62:11-2]

* * * * * * * * * *

Second Reading...

"When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." [Tit. 3:4-7]

* * * * * * * * * *

Gospe Reading...

"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.'

So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.

But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them." [Lk. 2:15-20]

* * * * * * * * * *