FIRST READING            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 people 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!

SECOND READING                  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 our great God and 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.

GOSPEL                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 Christ 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.”

My sisters and brothers in Christ,

The grace of God has appeared!  We rejoice because God loves us and God saves us!  We rejoice because Christ is born for us and dies for us.  As we celebrate this Mass during the night, let us remember the incredible love that is given to us from God the Father, in the Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The first reading tonight is from the Prophet Isaiah.  This Prophet is always putting before our minds and our hearts the love that God has for us.  God never abandons us no matter how we abandon God.  Even when things are so bad that we cannot imagine them ever getting better, God is there with us.

When we think of all the people who are displaced in our world today, we should not be completely surprised that the Chosen People were also displaced by wars and conquests.  When we look at the history of our Jewish ancestors in the faith, we find the scourge of war and battle threatening their very existence.  Some of them persevered in believing the Prophets and believed that a Savior would come.

You and I are invited to be part of that remnant who still believes that the Savior has come and is coming and will come.  When we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate the birth of our Lord in time and history.  We also know that He continues to come into our world every day and that He will come in glory at the end of time.  There is no darkness so dark that He cannot bring light and peace.

The second reading tonight is from the Letter to Titus reminds us that Christ has come and gives 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.  The birth of the Lord is a special event in the forming of God’s Chosen People.  We are invited to be part of that Chosen People.  Here in the middle of the night, we can ponder what a gift this is:  we are invited to share in the divinity of Jesus because he takes on our humanity!

The Gospel of Luke tells us once again about the birth of Jesus, seeking to make clear that this is a real birth of a real person into real time—and yet it is still God bursting into our world in a way never before known.  Even throughout His life, many people seemed uncertain about who Jesus is.  Slowly some of His followers come to accept His own words.  Jesus is born for us!  Jesus is God!  Jesus takes on our humanity to save us.  We too can sing with the angels:  Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace!  Glory to God!

Your brother in the Lord,

Abbot Philip