This is the Day!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This is the day that gladdened them, the Prophets, Kings, and Priests, for in it were their words fulfilled, and thus were the whole of them indeed performed!  For the Virgin this day brought forth Immanuel in Bethlehem.  The voice that of old Isaiah spake, to-day became reality.  He was born there who in writing should tell the Gentiles’ number!  The Psalm that David once sang, by its fulfilment came to-day!  The word that Micah once spake, to-day was come indeed to pass!  For there came from Ephrata a Shepherd, and His staff swayed over souls.  Lo! from Jacob shone the Star, and from Israel rose the Head.  The prophecy that Balaam spake had its interpreting to-day!  Down also came the hidden Light, and from the Body rose His beauty!  The light that spake in [Zechariah], to-day shined in Bethlehem!¹

Thus St. Ephrem the Syrian began his hymn on the Nativity of our Lord. Indeed, let us rejoice and be glad in it, for this is the day which the Lord has made! Let us rejoice, for this is the day of our Lord's birth according to the flesh. On this day, earth shall ring with the words of the prophets and apostles, because the Word of the Lord has stepped forth from His holy throne in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Word of the Lord, spoken by the prophets from the beginning of time, has come to pass, and it is glorious in our sight! The Word, which was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever, has become flesh and dwells among us. The eternal, immortal, invisible Word who is with God and who is God, He has received the flesh and blood of His creation and has come to us, full of grace and truth!

“How can this be?” the world asks. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Okay, fine. It takes a lot of philosophizing and mental gymnastics, but human reason can at least nod in passing to this assertion. A lot of world religions and philosophical systems have a “word” that is/was god, or at least came from some sort of deity. Maybe the Word was the trigger that caused the Big Bang.

But that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory” – now that is absurd. By scientific standards, God is unknowable. You cannot prove or explain or write dissertations about His existence. And you certainly cannot explain how God could actually become man – really truly physically man.

So don't. Do not try to explain the Incarnation of our Lord. The God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God is Incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and is made man. Do not attempt to understand or explain or rationalize this glorious Mystery of the Faith. Simply confess the Truth. Confess that God is man, man to deliver. Confess that He who fills all things and animates all the living, yet is Himself immeasurable and uncontainable, He has been contained in the womb of the Virgin, and is now possessing of a human body, mind, and soul.

Do not explain, but believe that the King of Glory has come into His kingdom, that Immanuel is with us, that Jesus has come into the world to save His people from your sins. For this the watchful ages ran, the patriarchs and prophets waited in hope, and the children of Israel cried out for salvation, eagerly hoping to see this day.

Listen again to St. Ephrem:

 

Joyous were to-day the Watchers, that the Wakeful came to wake us!  Who would pass this night in slumber, in which all the world was watching?  Since Adam brought into the world the sleep of death by sins, the Wakeful came down that He might awake us from the deep sleep of sin.

Watch not we as usurers, who thinking on money put to interest, watch at night so oft, to reckon up their capital, and interest.

Wakeful and cautious is the thief, who in the earth hath buried and concealed his sleep.  His wakefulness all [comes to] this, that he may cause much wakefulness to them that be asleep.  Wakeful likewise is the glutton, who hath eaten much and is restless; his watching is to him his torment, because he was impatient of stint.  Wakeful likewise is the merchant; of a night he works his fingers telling over what pounds are coming, and if his wealth doubles or trebles.  Wakeful likewise is the rich man, whose sleep his riches chase away:  his dogs sleep; he guards his treasures from the thieves.  Wakeful also is the careful, by his care his sleep is swallowed:  though his end stands by his pillow, yet he wakes with cares for years to come.

Satan teaches, O my brethren, one watching instead of another; to good deeds to be sleepy, and to ill awake and watchful.  Even Judas Iscariot, for the whole night through was wakeful; and he sold the righteous Blood, that purchased the whole world.  The son of the dark one put on darkness, having stripped the Light from off him:  and Him who created silver, for silver the thief sold.  Yea, Pharisees, the dark one’s sons, all the night through kept awake:  the dark ones watched that they might veil the Light which is unlimited.  Ye then watch as [heaven’s] lights in this night of starry light.  For though so dark be its colour yet in virtue it is clear.²

Watch, therefore! Watch, for now is the day of the Lord's revealing. Watch, for now comes to you what the ages before have longed to see. Watch, for the kingdom of the Lord is coming, and is now at hand. Watch, lest slumber overtake you, and in your dozing you fail to see the Lord of Glory who is born this day that He might be sacrificed upon the cross for you, to give you the Life of the World, life abundant and eternal.

This is the day of the Lord's revealing! Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Let us rejoice that the forgiveness of our sins has come to light. The grace and truth of the Father are shown to us in the face of the only-begotten Son. Confess this blessed truth – that we believe in the Son of God who was made man, that the men whom He has made might be made sons of God, for so we are, according to our new birth into Christ by the Holy Spirit!

This is the day the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Finally, the presents may be opened, the foods tasted, and the libations poured. Finally, the world has a moment of peace. And you are at peace, O you faithful, because You have received the Prince of Peace. Your peace, which the world can neither give nor take away, is secure in the Word made flesh who dwells among us. Receive the Word Incarnate, who is this day born of a Virgin, who is this day preached into your ears and hearts, who is this day laid upon an altar and poured across your lips. Receive the Word who is God, the Word who declares your sins forgiven, who speaks you righteous, who gives Himself to you as a gift this blessed day.

A blessed feast of the Nativity to you all, and Merry Christmas!

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

1Ephrem the Syrian, Hymn on the Nativity I

2Ibid.