Christ is Born!

St. Luke, in his Gospel, vividly describes the moment when Christ was born, “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.’”

The heavenly hosts sing joy for the drama and mystery of God’s love given to the world. In the backdrop of the grand, sublime drama of the Incarnation is the struggle between good and evil, light over darkness, and life over the hopelessness of death.

Amid the incomprehensible outpouring of divine grace is a world waiting, and there we find a young Virgin Mother, a dank and smelly stable, lowly shepherd along with animals, and, of course, a diabolical and murderous king. The contrast of opposites cannot be any more striking. The humblest of birth was far from expected for most, but for the faithful, the birth of Jesus ushers in a new relationship where God has never been more approachable and lovable. Jesus has become one of us in all things but sin.

“Glory to God,” the angel prays because he recognizes God’s enormous love for his people by sending them His only begotten Son.

 “Glory to God,” the angel proclaims because he realizes humanity will not have to experience physical and spiritual hardship alone. God will experience the same human pain and walk with them.

“Glory to God,” the angel sings because all of the heavenly hosts now know goodness and love will triumph over the destruction and darkness of death remarkably by the birth of a child in a lean-to intended for beasts.

“And peace to those on whom his favor rests” is the angel’s final utterance, departing only after he introduces Peace itself, a little child who is the hope of all.

The peace promised by the angel is not the peace the world understands. It is not a cessation of fighting and injustice but a peace that envelopes the hearts and minds of those who believe their mortal lives are forever linked with eternity.

Jesus’ birth gives us the courage to follow the sentiments of St. Paul, who proudly preached, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height or depth, nor any other creature. will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” All because God sent his only Son, born of a Virgin, to unite us in love with God again.  

Each year, we celebrate this momentous day with joy because we have come to believe in the angel’s proclamation that God’s favor rests. The angel announces that the plan hidden and hoped for by the prophets for centuries has come to pass, and the announcement is meant for each of our ears.

The peace the angel brought to the world is the answer to our futility, and today, we reflect on this great gift in our hearts, God’s infinite love manifested in a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, just as Mary did over two thousand years ago. 

Glory to God in the highest, Christ is born!