"He gave power to become children of God"

DAILY GOSPEL: 25/12/2010

«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas), Mass during the Day - Solemnity

Book of Isaiah 52:7-10.
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, Announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, "Your God is King!"
Hark! Your watchmen raise a cry, together they shout for joy, For they see directly, before their eyes, the LORD restoring Zion.
Break out together in song, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD comforts his people, he redeems Jerusalem.
The LORD has bared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; All the ends of the earth will behold the salvation of our God.

Psalms 98:1.2-3.4.5-6.
Sing a new song to the LORD, who has done marvelous deeds, Whose right hand and holy arm have won the victory.
The LORD has made his victory known; has revealed his triumph for the nations to see,
Has remembered faithful love toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth; break into song; sing praise.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn shout with joy to the King, the LORD.

Letter to the Hebrews 1:1-6.
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets;
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,
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,
as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
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"?
And again, when he leads the first-born into the world, he says: "Let all the angels of God worship him."

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 1:1-18.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be
through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race;
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.
And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.'"
From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father's side, has revealed him.

 Jn 1,1-18

Commentary of the day 
Saint Basil (c.330-379), monk and Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, Doctor of the Church
Homily on the holy generation of Christ, 2.6 ; PG 31, 1459s (©Friends of Henry Ashworth)

"He gave power to become children of God"

God is on earth, God is among us, not now as lawgiver - there is no fire, trumpet blast, smoke-wreathed mountain, dense cloud, or storm to terrify whoever hears him - but as one gently and kindly conversing in a human body with his fellow men and women. God is in the flesh... How can the Godhead be in the flesh? In the same way as fire can be in iron: not by moving from place to place but by the one imparting to the other its own properties. Fire does not speed toward iron, but without itself undergoing any change it causes the iron to share in its own natural attributes. The fire is not diminished and yet it completely fills whatever shares in its nature. So is it also with God the Word. He did not relinquish his own nature and yet he dwelt among us. He did not undergo any change and yet the Word became flesh. Earth received him from heaven, yet heaven was not deserted by him who holds the universe in being.

Let us strive to comprehend the mystery... «When the grace of God our Savior appeared» (Tit 2,11) and «the Sun of Justice rose,» (Mal 3,20) «death was swallowed up in victory,» (1Cor 15,54) unable to bear the presence of true life. How great is God's goodness, how deep his love for us! Let us join the shepherds in giving glory to God, let us dance with the angels and sing: «Today a savior has been born to us. He is Christ the Lord» (Lk 2,11-12)

«The Lord is God and he has appeared to us,» (cf.Ps 118[117],7) not as God, which would have been terrifying for our weakness, but as a slave so as to free those who live in slavery. Who could be so lacking in sensibility and so ungrateful as not to join all here present in our gladness, exultation, and radiant joy? This feast belongs to the whole of creation. Let everyone contribute and be grateful. Let our voices too ring out in songs of jubilation. 

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Saturday, 25 December 2010

Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ

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BIRTH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

         Jesus was born in a humble stable, into a poor family. Simple shepherds were the first witnesses to this event. In this poverty heaven's glory was made manifest. The Church never tires of singing the glory of this night:

The Virgin today brings into the world the Eternal
and the earth offers a cave to the Inaccessible.
The angels and shepherds praise him
and the magi advance with the star,
For you are born for us,
Little Child, God eternal!
(Kontakion of Romanos the Melodist)

          To become a child in relation to God is the condition for entering the kingdom. For this, we must humble ourselves and become little. Even more: to become "children of God" we must be "born from above" or "born of God". Only when Christ is formed in us will the mystery of Christmas be fulfilled in us. Christmas is the mystery of this "marvellous exchange":

O marvellous exchange!
Man's Creator has become man, born of the Virgin.
We have been made sharers in the divinity of Christ
who humbled himself to share our humanity.
(LH, 1 January, Antiphon I of Evening Prayer)

Catechism of the Catholic Church - Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana

« Hoy, en la ciudad de David, os ha nacido un Salvador»

EVANGELIO DEL DÍA: 24/12/2010

¿ Señor, a quién iremos?. Tú tienes palabras de vida eterna. Jn 6, 68

Solemnidad de la Natividad del Señor: Misa de medianoche

Libro de Isaías 9,1-6.
El pueblo que caminaba en las tinieblas ha visto una gran luz; sobre los que habitaban en el país de la oscuridad ha brillado una luz.
Tú has multiplicado la alegría, has acrecentado el gozo; ellos se regocijan en tu presencia. como se goza en la cosecha, como cuando reina la alegría por el reparto del botín.
Porque el yugo que pesaba sobre él, la barra sobre su espalda y el palo de su carcelero, todo eso lo has destrozado como en el día de Madián.
Porque todas las botas usadas en la refriega y las túnicas manchadas de sangre, serán presa de las llamas, pasto del fuego.
Porque un niño nos ha nacido, un hijo nos ha sido dado. La soberanía reposa sobre sus hombros y se le da por nombre: "Consejero maravilloso, Dios fuerte, Padre para siempre, Príncipe de la paz".
Su soberanía será grande, y habrá una paz sin fin para el trono de David y para su reino; él lo establecerá y lo sostendrá por el derecho y la justicia, desde ahora y para siempre. El celo del Señor de los ejércitos hará todo esto.

Salmo 96(95),1-2.3.11-12.13.
Canten al Señor un canto nuevo, cante al Señor toda la tierra;
canten al Señor, bendigan su Nombre, día tras día, proclamen su victoria.
Anuncien su gloria entre las naciones, y sus maravillas entre los pueblos.
Alégrese el cielo y exulte la tierra, resuene el mar y todo lo que hay en él;
regocíjese el campo con todos sus frutos, griten de gozo los árboles del bosque.
Griten de gozo delante del Señor, porque él viene a gobernar la tierra: él gobernará al mundo con justicia, y a los pueblos con su verdad.

Carta de San Pablo a Tito 2,11-14.
Porque la gracia de Dios, que es fuente de salvación para todos los hombres, se ha manifestado.
Ella nos enseña a rechazar la impiedad y los deseos mundanos, para vivir en la vida presente con sobriedad, justicia y piedad,
mientras aguardamos la feliz esperanza y la Manifestación de la gloria de nuestro gran Dios y Salvador, Cristo Jesús.
El se entregó por nosotros, a fin de librarnos de toda iniquidad, purificarnos y crear para sí un Pueblo elegido y lleno de celo en la práctica del bien.

Evangelio según San Lucas 2,1-14.
En aquella época apareció un decreto del emperador Augusto, ordenando que se realizara un censo en todo el mundo.
Este primer censo tuvo lugar cuando Quirino gobernaba la Siria.
Y cada uno iba a inscribirse a su ciudad de origen.
José, que pertenecía a la familia de David, salió de Nazaret, ciudad de Galilea, y se dirigió a Belén de Judea, la ciudad de David,
para inscribirse con María, su esposa, que estaba embarazada.
Mientras se encontraban en Belén, le llegó el tiempo de ser madre;
y María dio a luz a su Hijo primogénito, lo envolvió en pañales y lo acostó en un pesebre, porque no había lugar para ellos en el albergue.
En esa región acampaban unos pastores, que vigilaban por turno sus rebaños durante la noche.
De pronto, se les apareció el Angel del Señor y la gloria del Señor los envolvió con su luz. Ellos sintieron un gran temor,
pero el Angel les dijo: "No teman, porque les traigo una buena noticia, una gran alegría para todo el pueblo:
Hoy, en la ciudad de David, les ha nacido un Salvador, que es el Mesías, el Señor.
Y esto les servirá de señal: encontrarán a un niño recién nacido envuelto en pañales y acostado en un pesebre".
Y junto con el Angel, apareció de pronto una multitud del ejército celestial, que alababa a Dios, diciendo:
"¡Gloria a Dios en las alturas, y en la tierra, paz a los hombres amados por él!". 

 Lc 2,1-14

Leer el comentario del Evangelio por 
San Gregorio de Nisa (hacia 335-395), monje y obispo
Sermón sobre la Natividad, passim; PG 46, 1128

« Hoy, en la ciudad de David, os ha nacido un Salvador»

     Hermanos, advertidos del milagro, vayamos como Moisés a ver esta cosa extraordinaria (Ex 3,3): en María, la zarza ardiendo no se consume; la Virgen da a luz sin sufrir menoscabo... ¡Corramos, pues, a Belén, la pequeña ciudad de la Buena Noticia! Y somos verdaderos pastores, si permanecemos despiertos en nuestra guardia, es a nosotros que se dirige esta voz de los ángeles que anuncian un gran gozo...: «¡Gloria a Dios en lo más alto del cielo, porque la paz baja a la tierra!». Allí donde ayer sólo había maldición, lugar de guerra y exilio, he aquí que la tierra recibe la paz, porque hoy «la fidelidad brota de la tierra y la justicia mira desde el cielo» (Sl 84,12). Éste es el fruto que la tierra da a los hombres en recompensa de la buena voluntad que va a reinar entre los hombres (Lc 2,14). Dios se une al hombre para levantar al hombre hasta la altura de Dios. 

     Con esta buena nueva, hermanos, salgamos para Belén a fin de contemplar... el misterio del pesebre: un niño recién nacido envuelto en pañales descansa en un establo. Virgen después del parto, la Madre incorruptible abraza a su hijo. Repitamos con los pastores las palabras del profeta: «Lo que habíamos oído lo hemos visto en la ciudad de nuestro Dios» (Sl 47,9).

     ¿Pero por qué el Señor busca refugio en esta cueva de Belén? ¿Por qué dormir en un establo? ¿Por qué mezclarse con los del censo de Israel? Hermanos, el que trae la liberación al mundo viene a nacer en nuestra esclavitud de muerte. Viene a nacer en esta cueva para mostrarse a los hombres inmersos en tinieblas y sobras de muerte. Está acostado en un establo porque es él Aquel que hace crecer la hierba para el ganado (Sl 103,14), es el Pan de Vida que alimenta al hombre con un alimento espiritual para que también viva en el Espíritu... ¿Es que hay una fiesta más dichosa que la de hoy? Cristo, el Sol de justicia (ML 3,20), viene a iluminar nuestra noche. Se levanta lo que estaba caído, el que estaba vencido es liberado..., el que estaba muerto vuelve a la vida... Cantemos hoy todos a una sola voz, sobre toda la tierra: «Por un hombre, Adán, vino la muerte; por un hombre, hoy viene la salvación» (cf Rm 5,17).

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viernes 24 Diciembre 2010

San Gregorio

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Presbítero (+ 303) que murió mártir en la persecución de Diocleciano a comienzos del siglo IV.
En su historia interviene un personaje llamado Flaco que es el encargado por el gobierno de Roma para poner orden en el Imperio en lo que concierne a la unidad de religión fundamento del orden social. Ha pensado en su estrategia contra los rebeldes e inconformistas de cuya existencia en su territorio está bien informado: multiplicará los dioses y obligará a prestarles adoración. Quienes no acaten la orden con fidelidad serán aniquilados.
En la península itálica, en la Umbria, concretamente en Spoleto, hay un hombre llamado Gregorio, se ocupa en hacer el bien a los demás, está interesado en poner remedio a las necesidades económicas de los más pobres y de hecho las remedia en la medida que puede, da consuelo a los tristes e incluso quema el tiempo animando cuando alguien está desalentado. Es pacífico y en su vida se advierte la rectitud. Todos lo tienen por hombre religioso. Incluso a los que quieren les descubre poco a poco los misterios de Dios y, lo que es más llamativo aún, algunos le siguen porque tanto su enseñanza como el estilo de su vida tienen un atractivo poco común. Sí, hay un no-sé-qué atrayente por su nobleza y altura de miras.
Pero por lo que se ve que no agrada a todos. No quiere sacrificar a los dioses. Tiene ideas distintas. Él no se acomoda a lo establecido. Es acusado de "ser rebelde a los dioses". Afirma que sólo un Dios merece adoración y tan testarudo se muestra en su convicción que, a pesar de las amenazas y vejaciones, está dispuesto incluso a morir. De hecho así terminó su vida en el año 303.
Desobediente. Inadaptado. Reaccionario. Indócil. Rebelde. Indisciplinado. Agitador. Inconformista. Independiente. Parece que todos estos calificativos tienen un contenido negativo. Pero, claro... hay que saber contra qué o contra quien. Porque —a la postre y para ser justos en el juicio— todo depende de a qué lado quede la verdad. Quizá resulte que hay que cambiar el esquema y se deban proponer para premios Nobel precisamente a los que no se acomoden a los croquis de la sociedad y vayan contra el "status".
No siempre "ser como los demás" es signo de "estar en la verdad".
A que la verdad no depende del poder, de la fuerza física, política o militar. ¡A que no!

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LA NATIVIDAD DEL SEÑOR:  I  VÍSPERAS

Himno
Hoy nace el sol divinal
De la Virgen sin mancilla;
Hoy el Eterno se humilla
Y si se hace hombre mortal.

Hoy la Reina celestial
Pare al Rey del firmamento,
Sin recibir detrimento
Su pureza virginal.

Adórate, Verbo eterno,
Hijo del muy alto Padre,
Nacido de pobre madre
En la yema del invierno.

Gracias te doy Niño tierno,
Pues con tu divinidad
Juntaste mi humanidad,
Por librarme del infierno. Amén


Dios nuestro, que cada año nos alegras con la festividad llena de esperanza de nuestra redención, concédenos que así como ahora acogemos a tu Hijo llenos de júbilo como redentor, así también lo recibamos lleno de confianza cuándo vuelva como juez. Por nuestro Señor Jesucristo, tu Hijo.

"For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord"

DAILY GOSPEL: 24/12/2010

«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas), Mass at Midnight - Solemnity

Book of Isaiah 9:1-6.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, As they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as men make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, And the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
For every boot that tramped in battle, every cloak rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for flames.
For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.
His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, From David's throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains By judgment and justice, both now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!

Psalms 96(95):1-2.3.11-12.13.
Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, bless his name; announce his salvation day after day.
Tell God's glory among the nations; among all peoples, God's marvelous deeds.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them. Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice
before the LORD who comes, who comes to govern the earth, To govern the world with justice and the peoples with faithfulness.

Letter to Titus 2:11-14.
Beloved: The grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age,
as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 2:1-14.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there, the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
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.

 

Lc 2,1-14

Commentary of the day 
Saint Gregory of Nyssa (c.335-395), monk and Bishop
Sermon on the Nativity, passim ; PG 46, 1128

"For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord"

Brethren, now we have been told about the miracle let us turn aside to see this unusual sight as Moses did (Ex 3,3): in Mary the burning bush is not consumed; the Virgin gives birth to the Light without defilement... Let us then run to Bethlehem, the town of the Good News! If we are real shepherds, staying awake on our watch, then it is to us that the voice of the angels is addressed, announcing a great joy...: «Glory to God in the highest for peace is coming down to earth!» There where, only yesterday, there was nothing but misfortune, battlefields and exile, now earth receives peace for today «Truth shall spring out of the earth and justice shall look down from heaven» (Ps 85,12). Behold the fruit earth gives to humankind in reward for the good will reigning among men (Lk 2,14). God is joined to man to raise man to the stature of God.

At this news, my brethren, let us go to Bethlehem to behold... the mystery of the crib: a child wrapped in swaddling clothes rests in a manger. A Virgin after giving birth, his undefiled Mother embraces her son. Let us repeat the words of the prophet along with the shepherds: «As we have heard, so we have seen in the city of our God» (Ps 48[47],9).

But why does our Lord seek shelter in this cave at Bethlehem? Why is he sleeping in a manger? Why does he participate in Israel's census? My brethren, he who brings liberty to the world comes to be born into our slavery to death. He is born in this cave to reveal himself to us who are immersed in darkness and the shadow of death. He rests in a manger because he is the One who makes grass grow for the cattle (Ps 104[103],14). He is the Bread of Life who feeds us with a spiritual food that we too might live in the Spirit... What more joyful feast is there than that of today? Christ, the Sun of Justice (Mal 3,20), comes to illumine our night. What had fallen is raised up again, what was overcome is now set free... what was dead is restored to life... Let us all sing today with one voice over all the earth: «Death came through one man, Adam; today salvation has come through one man (cf. Rom 5,17).

Friday, 24 December 2010 Sts. Thrasilla and Emiliana, Virgins (6th century) SAINTS THRASILLA and EMILIANA Virgins (6th century)         Sts. Thrasilla and Emiliana were aunts of St. Gregory the Great. They lived in their father's house as retired as in a monastery, far removed from the conversation of men; and, exciting one another to virtue by discourse and example, soon made considerable progress in spiritual life.         Thrasilla was favored one night with a vision of her uncle, St. Felix, Pope, who showed her a seat prepared for her in heaven, saying: "Come; I will receive you into this habitation of light." She fell sick of a fever the next day. When in her agony, with her eyes fixed on heaven, she cried out to those that were present: "Depart! make room! Jesus is coming." Soon after these words she breathed out her pious soul into the hands of God on the 24th of December.         A few days after she appeared to her sister Emiliana, and invited her to celebrate with her the Epiphany in eternal bliss. Emiliana fell sick, and died on the 8th of January.