Feast of the day for December 25: the story of the Nativity of the Lord

Saint of the day for December 25nd

The story of the Nativity of the Lord

On this day, the Church focuses above all on the newborn Child, God made man, who embodies for us all the hope and peace we seek. We don't need any other special saint today to lead us to Christ in the manger, although his mother Mary and Joseph, who are caring for her adopted son, help complete the scene.

But if we were to select a patron for today, perhaps it would be appropriate for us to imagine an anonymous pastor, summoned to his birthplace by a wonderful and even haunting vision in the night, a plea from an angelic choir, promising peace and goodwill. . A shepherd willing to look for something that may be too incredible to chase, yet compelling enough to leave the flocks in the field behind and seek a mystery.

On the day of the Lord's birth, let a nameless "non-celebrity" at the edge of the crowd shape the way for us to discover Christ in our hearts, somewhere between skepticism and wonder, between mystery and faith. And like Mary and the shepherds, we treasure this discovery in our hearts.

Reflection

Precise dating in today's scripture readings sounds like a textbook on creationism. If we focus on the time frame, however, we miss the point. It describes the story of a love story: the creation, the liberation of the Jews from slavery in Egypt, the rise of Israel under David. It culminates with the birth of Jesus. Some scholars insist that from the beginning God intended to enter the world as one of us, the beloved people. Praise God!