Christmas Bible Readings December 25 2008 Mass during the Day with Commentary Merry Christmas

December 25 2008 Thursday Christmas Mass During the Day
Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord
Click Here for Other Christmas Mass Readings and Times
Reposted on Correct Day – Merry Christmas

About the sources used. The readings on this site are from the Haydock Bible according to the daily Lectionary readings for the American Roman Catholic Church. The Haydock Bible contains traditional Catholic commentary and is free from copyright. Due to verse numbering differences and pastoral deletions in the actual Lectionary, these readings may at times vary from the actual readings.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/122508c.shtml

Isaiah 52:7-10
Douay-Rheims Challoner

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, and that preacheth peace: of him that sheweth forth good, that preacheth salvation, that saith to Sion: Thy God shall reign! The voice of thy watchmen: they have lifted up their voice, they shall praise together: for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall convert Sion. Rejoice, and give praise together, O ye deserts of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people: he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath prepared his holy arm in the sight of all the Gentiles: and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Psalm 97:1-6 Latin/Greek (98 Heb/NAB/KJV)
Douay-Rheims Challoner
A psalm for David himself.

Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle:
because he hath done wonderful things.
His right hand hath wrought for him salvation, and his arm is holy.
The Lord hath made known his salvation:
he hath revealed his justice in the sight of the Gentiles.
He hath remembered his mercy
and his truth toward the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Sing joyfully to God, all the earth;
make melody, rejoice and sing.
Sing praise to the Lord on the harp, on the harp,
and with the voice of a psalm:
With long trumpets, and sound of cornet.
Make a joyful noise before the Lord our king:

Hebrews 1:1-6
Haydock New Testament

God having spoken at different times and in many ways, in times past, to the fathers, by the prophets: last of all, In these days hath spoke to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world: Who being the splendour of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high: Being made so much better than the Angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they.

For, to which of the Angels hath he said at any time:

Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?

And again:

I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

And again, when he introduceth the first begotten into the world, he saith:

And let all the Angels of God adore him.

The Gospel According to Saint John 1:1-18
Haydock NT

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him: and without Him was made nothing that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. And the Light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men might believe through Him. He was not the Light, but was to bear witness of the Light. That was the true Light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, He gave to them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in His Name. Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us: and we saw His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John beareth witness of Him: and crieth out, saying: This was He of whom I spoke, He that shall come after me, is preferred before me, because He was before me. And of His fulness we all have received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.

Haydock Commentary Isaiah 52:7-10

• Ver. 7. Peace. He comes like a conqueror to save his people. It may also be applied to the prophets and apostles, (C.) as S. Paul explains it. Rom. 10:15. M.
• Ver. 8. Watchmen, prophets. The angels sung at the birth of Christ. Luke 2:14.
• Ver. 10. Arm. The Saviour. Luke. 1:51.

Haydock Commentary Hebrews 1:1-6

• Ver. 1. At different times, and in many ways. The first word signifies that God revealed the incarnation of his Son, as it were, by parcels, and by degrees, at different times, and to different persons, to Adam, to Abraham, to Moses, to David, &c. The latter word expresseth the different ways and manners, as by angels, by immediate inspirations, and revelations, by types, figures, and ceremonies.—Last of all, by his Son, his true, natural, eternal Son, of whom we must always take notice, that being both true God, and true man, by the union of the divine and human nature to one and the same divine persons, S. Paul speaks of him sometimes as God, sometimes mentions what applies to him as man, sometimes as our Redeemer, both God and man. This must necessarily happen in speaking of Christ; but when we find things that cannot be understood of one that is a pure or mere man only, or that cannot be true but of him, who is truly God, these are undeniable proofs against the errors of the Arians and Socinians.
• Ver. 2. Whom he hath appointed heir of all things. Heir is here not taken for one that succeeds another at his death, but for the same as Master or Lord. And though Christ be inseparably God and man, yet this applies to him, as man, because as God, he was not constituted in time, but was always from eternity, Lord of all things, with the Father and the Holy Ghost: by whom also he made the world. That is, all created beings, and in such a manner that all creatures were equally produced by the three divine persons. See. Jo. 1:3 and the annotations on that place. Wi.
• Ver. 3. Who being the splendour, or brightness of his glory, not as beams or rays are derived from a lightsome body, but by a necessary and eternal communication of the same substance, and of the whole light; in which sense the council of Nice understood the eternal Son of God to be light of light. This partly helps us to conceive the eternal generation of the Son from the Father, because the brightness is at the same time without the sun, though all comparisons fall short of this mystery. Wi.—We may here observe the two natures of Christ. As God, he is the creator of all things; as man, he is constituted heir of the goods of God. Not content to possess the inheritance of his Father in his own person, he will have us as coheirs to share it also with him. May we so live as to hear one day that happy sentence: Come, ye blessed of my Father, &c—And the figure of his substance. In the Greek is the character of his substance; which might be translated, the express image. There are different ways by which a thing may be said to be a figure or image of another: here it is taken for such a representation of the substance of the Father, that though the Father and Son be distinct persons, and the Son proceed from the Father, yet he is such a figure and image, as to have the same nature and substance with the Father, as the Catholic Church always believed and declared against the ancient heretics, and particularly against the Arians. Their words may be partly seen in Petavius, 1. ii. de Trin. c. 11. 1. iv. c. 6. 1. vi. c. 6. being too prolix for these short notes. And this may be understood by the following words concerning the Son: and upholding or preserving all things by the word of his power. As he had said before, that all things were made by him, so all things are preserved by him, equally with the Father. See Col. i. 16, 17. See also v. 10. of this chapter, and the annot. Jo. i. 3. Wi.—Figure. This does not exclude the reality. So Christ’s body in the Eucharist, and his mystical death in the Mass, though called a figure, image, or representation of Christ’s visible body and sacrifice upon the cross, yet may be and is the self-same substance. B.—Sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on High. This also may be taken to express the equality of the Son with the Father, if considered as God; but this sitting on the right hand of God, both here, in S. Mark, c. xvi. and in the apostles’ creed, express what agrees with Christ, as our Redeemer, God made man by his incarnation, and who as man is made the head of his Church, the judge of the living and of the dead; and so S. Stephen said, (Acts vii.) I see the heavens open, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. Wi.
• Ver. 4. Being made so much better, &c. The Arians pretended from hence that Christ was made, or created. But the apostle speaks of Christ as man, and tells us that Christ, even as man, by his ascension was exalted above the Angels.—As he hath inherited a more excellent name. That is, both the dignity and name of the Son of God, of his only Son, and of his true Son. See 1 Jo. v. 20. Wi.
• Ver. 5. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. These words, though commonly expounded of the eternal generation of the Son of God in the day or moment of eternity, yet may be truly applied either to Christ made man by his incarnation, or to Christ risen from the dead, as they are used by S. Paul, (Acts xiii. 33.) because the same Christ both these ways is the Son of God. It was the only true and natural Son of God, who was made flesh, who was made man, who rose from the dead; and the eternal Father manifested his eternal Son by his incarnation, and shewed him triumphing over death by his resurrection.—I will be to him a father, &c. Although these words might be literally spoken of Solomon, yet in the mystical sense (chiefly intended by the Holy Ghost) they are to be understood of Christ, who in a much more proper sense is the Son of God. Wi.
• Ver. 6. Let all the Angels of God adore him. These words seem to be cited out of Ps. xcvi. 7. according to the Sept. And they seem to be an invitation, and a command to the Angels to adore Jesus Christ, when at the end of the world he shall come to judgment. This is one of the proofs which S. Paul here brings, to shew that the Angels are inferior to Christ, because they are commanded to adore him. Wi.—God shews the superiority of his divine Son over the Angels, in ordering the latter to adore him. Wherever the person of Christ is, there it ought to be adored by both men and Angels, therefore in the blessed sacrament.

Haydock Commentary John 1:1-18

• Ver. 1. In the beginning was the Word: or rather, the Word was in the beginning. The eternal Word, the increated Wisdom, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the only begotten Son of the Father, as he is here called (v. 14) of the same nature and substance, and the same God, with the Father and the Holy Ghost. This Word was always; so that it was never true to say, he was not, as the Arians blasphemed. This word was in the beginning. Some, by the beginning, expound the Father himself, in whom he was always. Others give this plain and obvious sense, that the Word, or the Son of God, was, when all other things began to have a being; He never began, but was from all eternity.—And the Word was with God; i.e. was with the Father; and as it is said, (v. 18.) in the bosom of the Father; which implies, that he is indeed a distinct person, but the same in nature and substance with the Father and the Holy Ghost. This is repeated again in the second verse, as repetitions are very frequent in S. John.—And the Word was God. This without question is the construction; where, according to the letter we read, and God was the Word. Wi.—The Greek for the Word signifies not only the exterior Word, but also the interior Word, or thought; and in this latter sense it is taken here. V.—Philo Judæus, in the apostolic age, uses the word to personify the wisdom and the power of God. By a similar metonymy, Jesus Christ is called the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Resurrection.—And the Word was God. Here the eternity and the divinity of the second Person are incontrovertibly established; or, we must say that language has no longer a fixed meaning, and that it is impossible to establish any point whatever from the words of Scripture. A.
• Ver. 2. The same was in the beginning with God. In the text is only, “this was in the beginning;” but the sense and construction certainly is, this word was in the beginning. Wi.
• Ver. 3. All things were made by Him, and without Him was made nothing that was made. These words teach us, that all created beings, visible, or invisible on earth, every thing that ever was made, or began to be, were made, produced, and created by this eternal Word, or by the Son of God. The same is truly said of the Holy Ghost; all creatures being equally produced, created, and preserved by the three Divine Persons as, by their proper, principal, and efficient cause, in the same manner, and by the same action: not by the Son, in any manner inferior to the Father; nor as if the Son produced things only ministerially, and acted only as the minister, and instrument of the Father, as the Arians pretended. In this sublime mystery of one God and three distinct Persons, if we consider the eternal processions, and personal proprieties, the Father is the first Person, but not by any priority of time, or of dignity; all the three divine Persons being eternal, or co-eternal, equal in all perfections, being one in nature, in substance, in power, in majesty: in a word, one and the same God. The Father in no other sense is called the first Person, but because he proceeds from none, or from no other person: and the eternal Son is the second Person begotten, and proceeding from him, the Father, from all eternity, proceeds now, and shall proceed from him for all eternity; as we believe that the third divine Person, the Holy Ghost, always proceeded without any beginning, doth now proceed, and shall proceed for ever, both from the Father and the Son. But when we consider and speak of any creatures, of any thing that was made, or had a beginning, all things were equally created in time, and are equally preserved, no less by the Son, and by the Holy Ghost, than by the Father. For which reason S. John tells us again in this chapter, (v. 10) that the world was made by the Word. And our Saviour Himself (jo. v. 19) tells us, that whatsoever the Father doth, these things also in like manner, or in the same manner, the Son doth. Again the apostle, (Heb. i. v. 2) speaking of the Son, says, the world was made by him: and in the same chapter, (v. 10.) he applies to the Son these words, (Ps. ci:26) And thou, O Lord, in the beginning didst found the earth: and the heavens are the works of thy hands, &c. TO omit other places, S. Paul again, writing to the Colossians, (C. i. v. 16. 17.) and speaking of God’s beloved Son, as may be seen in that chapter, says, that in him all things were created, visible and invisible—all things were created in Him, and by Him, or, as it is in the Greek, unto Him, and for Him; to shew that the Son was not only the efficient cause, the Maker and Creator of all things, but also the last end of all. Which is also confirmed by the following words: And he is before all, and all things subsist in him, or consist in him; as in the Rheims and Protestant translations (KJV?). I have, therefore, in this third verse, translated all things were made by Him, with all English translations and paraphrases, whether made by Catholics or Protestants; and not all things were made through him, lest through should seem to carry with it a different and a diminishing signification; or as if, in the creation of the world, the eternal word, or the Son of God, produced things only ministerially, and in a manner, inferior to the Father, as the Arians and Eunomians pretended; against whom, on this very account, wrote S. Basil, lib. de spiritu Sto. S. Chrysostom, and S. Cyril, on this very verse; where they expressly undertake to shew that the Greek text in this verse no ways favours these heretics. The Arians, and now the Socinians, who deny the Son to be true God, or that the word God applies as properly to him as to the Father, but would have him called God, that is, a nominal god, in an inferior and improper sense; as when Moses is called the god of Pharao; (Exod. vii. 1) or as men in authority are called gods; (Ps. lxxxi. 6.) pretend, after Origen, to find another difference in the Greek text; as if, when mention is made of the Father, he is styled the God; but that the Son os only called God, or a God. This objection S. Chrysostom, S. Cyril, and others, have shewn to be groundless: that pretended significant Greek article being several times omitted, when the word God is applied to God the Father; and being found in other places, when the Son of God is called God. See this objection fully and clearly answered by the author of a short book, published in the year 1729, against Dr. Clark and Mr. Whiston, P. 64. and seq. Wi.—Were made, &c. Mauduit here represents the word: —“1. As a cause, or principle, acting extraneously from himself upon the void space, in order to give a being to all creatures:” whereas there was no void space before the creation. Anti omnia Deus erat solus, ipse sibi et mundus et locus, et omnia. Tert. 1. cont. Prax. c. v. And S. Aug. in Ps. cxxii. Says: antequam faceret Deus Sanctos, ubi habitabat In se habitabat, apud se habitabat.—The creation of all things, visible and invisible, was the work of the whole blessed Trinity; but the Scriptures generally attributes of the Son, are displayed most in it. Calmet.—What wonderful tergiversations the Arians used to avoid the evidence of this text, we see in S. Austin, 1. iii. de doct. Christ. c. 2; even such as modern dissenters do, to avoid the evidence of This is my Body, concerning the Blessed Eucharist. B.
• Ver. 4. In Him: i.e. in this Word, or Son of God, was life; because he gives life to every living creature. Or, as Maldonatus expounds it, because he is the author of grace, which is the spiritual life of our souls.—And the life was the light of men, whether we expound it of a rational soul and understanding, which he gives to all men; or of the spiritual life, and those lights of graces, which he gives to Christians. Wi.
• Ver. 5. And the light shineth, or did shine, in darkness. Many understand this, that the light of reason, which God gave to every one, might have brought them to the knowledge of God by the visible effects of his Providence in this world: but the darkness did not comprehend it, because men, blinded by their passions, would not attend to the light of reason. Or we may again understand it, with Maldonatus, of the lights of grace, against which obstinate sinners willfully shut their eyes. Wi.
• Ver. 7. That all men might believe through him; i.e. by John’s preaching, who was God’s instrument to induce them to believe in Jesus the Christ, or the Messiah, their only Redeemer. Wi.
• Ver. 8-9. He; that is, John, was not the true light: but the Word was the true light. In the translation, it is necessary to express that the Word was the true light, lest any one should think that John the Baptist was this light. Wi.
• Ver. 10. He was in the world, &c. Many of the ancient interpreters understand dthis verse of Christ as God, who was in the world from its first creation, producing and governing all things: but the blind sinful world did not know and worship him. Others apply these words to the Son of God made man; whom even God’s own chosen people, the Jews, at his coming, refused to receive and believe in him. Wi.
• Ver. 11. His own. This regards principally the Jews. Jesus came to them as into his own family, but they did not receive him. It may likewise be extended to the Gentiles, who had groaned so long a time in darkness, and only seemed to wait for the rising sun of justice to run to its light. They likewise did not receive him. These words, through apparently general, must be understood with restriction; as there were some, through comparatively few, of both Jews and Gentiles, who embraced the faith. Calmet.
• Ver. 12. He gave to the power to be made the adoptive sons of God, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven. They are made the children of God by believing, and by a new spiritual birth in the sacrament of baptism, not of blood; (literally, not of bloods) not by the will, and desires of the flesh, not by the will of men, nor by human generation, as children are first born of their natural parents, but of God, by faith and divine grace. Wi.
• Ver. 14. And the Word was made flesh. This Word, or Son of God, who was in the beginning, from all eternity, at the time appointed by the divine decrees, was made flesh, i.e. became man, by a true and physical union of his divine person, (from which the divine nature was inseparable) to our human nature, to a human soul, and a human body, in the womb, and of the substance, of his Virgin Mother. From the moment of Christ’s incarnation, as all Christians are taught to believe, he that was God from eternity, became also truly man. In Jesus Christ, our blessed Redeemer, we believe one divine Person with two natures, and two wills; the one divine, the other human: by which substantial union, one and the same Person became truly both God and man; not two persons, or two sons, as Nestorius, the heretic, pretended. By this union, and a mutual communication of the proprieties of each nature, it is true to say, that the Son of God, remaining unchangeably God, was made man; and therefore that God was truly conceived and born of the Virgin Mary, who, on this account, was truly the Mother of God: that God was born, suffered, and died on the cross, to redeem and save us. The Word, in this manner made man, dwelt in us, or among us, by this substantial union with our human nature, not morally only, nor after such a manner, as God is said to dwell in a temple; nor as he is in his faithful servants, by a spiritual union, and communication of his divine graces; but by such a real union, that the same person is truly both God and man.—And we saw his glory, manifested to the world by many signs and miracles; we in particular, who were present at his transfiguration. Matt. xvii.—Full of grace and truth. These words, in the construction, are to be joined in this manner: the Word dwelt in us, full of grace and truth; and we have seen his glory, &c. This fulness of grace in Christ Jesus, infinitely surpassed the limited fulness, which the Scripture attributes to S. Stephen (Acts vi. or to the Blessed Virgin Mother: (Lk 1:28) they are said to be full of grace, only because of an extraordinary communication and greater share of graces than was given to other saints. But Christ, even as man, had a greater abundance of divine graces: and being truly God as well as man, his grace and sanctity were infinite, as was his person.—As of the only begotten of the Father. If we consider Christ in himself, and not only as he was made known to men by outward signs and miracles, S. Chrysostom and others take notice that the word as, no ways diminisheth the signification; and that the sense is, we have seen the glory of him, who is truly from all eternity the only begotten Son of the Father: who, as the Scriptures assure us, is his true, his proper Son, his only begotten, who was sent into the world, who descended from heaven, and came from the Father, and leaving the world, returned where he was before, returned to his Father. We shall meet with many such Scripture texts, to shew him to be the eternal Son of his eternal Father; or to shew that the Father was always his Father, and the Son always his Son: as it was the constant doctrine of the Catholic Church, and as such declared in the general council of Nice (Nicaea), that this, his only Son, was born or begotten of the Father before all ages… God from God, the true God from the true God. It was by denying this truth, “that the Son was the Son always, and the Father always, and from all eternity, the Father;” that the blaspheming Arius began his heresy in his letter to Eusebius of Nicomedia, against his bishop of Alexandria, S. Alexander. See the letter copied by S. Epiphan. Hær. 69. p. 731. Ed. Petavii. Wi.—Dwelt among us. In a material body, like ours, clothe with our nature. He is become mortal, and like us in every thing, but sin and concupiscence. The Greek, literally translated, is, he has pitched his tent amongst us, like a stranger and passenger, who makes no long stay in one place. The body in Scripture, is sometimes called a tent or tabernacle, in which the soul dwells, as 2. Peter. 1:14. Calmet.
• Ver. 15. Is preferred before me. Lit. is made before me. The sense, says S. Chrys. is, that he is greater in dignity, deserves greater honour, &c. through born after me, he was from eternity. Wi.
• Ver. 16. And of his fulness we all have received; not only Jews, but also all nations.—And grace for grace. It may perhaps be translated grace upon grace, as Mr. Blackwell observes, and brings a parallel example in Greek out of Theognis, p. 164. It implies abundance of graces, and greater graces under the new law of Christ than in the time of the law of Moses; which exposition is confirmed by the following verse. Wi.—Before the coming of the Messiah all men had the light of reason. The Greeks had their philosophy, the Jews the law and prophets. All this was a grace and favour bestowed by God, the author of all good. But since the word was made flesh, God has made a new distribution of graces. He has given the light of faith, and caused the gospel of salvation to be announced to all men; he has invited all nations to the faith and knowledge of the truth. Thus he has given us one grace for another; but the second is infinitely greater, more excellent, and more abundant than the first. The following verse seems to insinuate, that the evangelist means the law by the first grace, and the gospel by the second. Compare likewise Rom. i. 17. The Jews were conducted by faith to faith; by faith in God and the law of Moses, to the faith of the gospel, announced by Christ. Calmet.
• Ver. 18. No man hath seen God. No mortal in this life by a perfect union and enjoyment of him. Nor can any creature perfectly comprehend his infinite greatness: non but his only begotten divine Son, who is in the bosom of his Father, not only by an union of grace, but by an union and unity of substance and nature; of which Christ said, (Jo. xiv. 11) I am in the Father, and the Father in me. Wi.

Christmas Bible Readings December 25 2008 Mass at Dawn with Commentary Merry Christmas

December 25 2008 Thursday Christmas Mass at Dawn
Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord
Click Here for Other Christmas Mass Readings and Times
Repost on Correct Day

About the sources used. The readings on this site are from the Haydock Bible according to the daily Lectionary readings for the American Roman Catholic Church. The Haydock Bible contains traditional Catholic commentary and is free from copyright. Due to verse numbering differences and pastoral deletions in the actual Lectionary, these readings may at times vary from the actual readings.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/122508b.shtml

Isaiah 62:11-12
Douay-Rheims Challoner

Behold the Lord hath made it to be heard in the ends of the earth, tell the daughter of Sion: Behold thy Saviour cometh: behold his reward is with him, and his work before him. And they shall call them, The holy people, the redeemed of the Lord. But thou shalt be called: A city sought after, and not forsaken.

Psalm 96:1, 6, 11-12 (Ps 97 NAB/Heb)
Douay-Rheims Challoner. Click here for complete Psalm with Haydock Commentary
For the same David, when his land was restored again to him.

The Lord hath reigned, let the earth rejoice:
let many islands be glad.
The heavens declared his justice:
and all people saw his glory.
Light is risen to the just,
and joy to the right of heart.
Rejoice, ye just, in the Lord:
and give praise to the remembrance of his holiness.

Titus 3:4-7
Haydock New Testament

But when the goodness and kindness of our Saviour, God, appeared: Not by the works of justice, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the laver of regeneration, and renovation of the Holy Ghost, Whom he hath poured forth upon us abundantly, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour: That being justified by his grace, we may be heirs according to the hope of life everlasting.

The Gospel According to Saint Luke 2:15-20
Haydock NT

And it came to pass that after the Angels departed from them into heave, the shepherds said one to another:

Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath shewed to us.

And they came with haste: and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in a manger. And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child. And all they that heard wondered: and at those things that were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they have heard, and seen, as it was told unto them.

Haydock Commentary Isaiah 62:11-12

• Ver. 11. Work the redemption of mankind. H.—Though Cyrus was a figure of Christ, he was as much beneath him as earth is below heaven. Zac. ix. 9. C.

Haydock Commentary Titus 3:4-7

• Ver. 4. The goodness and kindness. Lit. humanity of our Saviour. By humanity some expound Christ’s appearing in his human nature, but by the Greek is meant the love of God towards mankind. Wi.
• Ver. 5. Not by the works, &c S. Paul in this verse alludes to the sacrament of baptism. This text is brought by divines to prove that baptism, like every other sacrament, produces its effects by its own power, (or, as it is termed in the schools, ex opera operato) independently of any disposition on the part of the receiver. We are saved, says the apostle, not by the works of justice, or any good works we have performed, but our salvation must be attributed solely to the mercy of our Saviour, God, manifested to us by the washing itself of regeneration and renovation of the Holy Ghost.—By the laver of regeneration, &c. That is, of baptism, by which we are born anew the adoptive children of God, by the grace of the Holy Ghost, whom he hath poured, &c.
• Ver. 6. All presumption of human merits, which have not the grace of Jesus Christ for their principle, is here completely confounded; and the whole glory of our salvation is justly attributed to the mercy of God, through Jesus Christ. A new birth, new creature, new spirit. The effusion of the water upon the body in baptism, is a figure of the salutary effusion of the holy Spirit in the soul to renew it, and to make of it a child of God.
• Ver. 7. This admirable, and I may say divine adoption, is the sole foundation of a Christian’s hope, as the eternal life of the blessed is the sole end of this adoption.

Haydock Commentary Luke 2:15-20

• Ver. 15. The word which always was, let us see how it is made for us; that which we could not see, when it was the word, let us see because it is made flesh. V. Bede.—See how particularly the Scripture weighs the meaning of every word. The shepherds hastened to see the word, for when the flesh of the Lord is seen, the word is seen, which is the Son. S. Ambrose.
• Ver. 17. They saw this with the eyes of their body, but with their internal eyes they discovered other wonders, viz. that he, who lay there in such great poverty, was their Messiah, their great King, and the Son of God. Barradius.
• Ver. 19. Mary kept all these things, and compared what was accomplished in her, concerning the Lord, with what had been written of him by the prophets. V. Bede.—She considered in her heart the arguments of faith. S. Ambrose.

Catena Aurea Luke 2:15-20
From Catechetics Online

• GREEK EX. The shepherds were filled with astonishment at the things that they saw and heard, and so they left their sheepfolds, and set out by night to Bethlehem, seeking for the light of the Savior; and therefore it is said, They spoke one to another, &c.
• THEOPHYL; As men who were truly watching, they said not, Let us see (the child; but) the word which has come to pass, i.e. the Word which was from the beginning, let us see how it has been made flesh for us, since this very Word is the Lord. For it follows, Which the Lord has made, and has shown to us; i.e. Let us see how the Lord has made Himself, and has shown His flesh to us.
• AMBROSE; How remarkably Scripture weighs the import of each word. For when we behold the flesh of the Lord, we behold the Word, which is the Son. Let not this seem to you a slight example of faith, because of the humble character of the shepherds. For simplicity is sought for, not pride. It follows, And they came in haste. For no one indolently seeks after Christ.
• ORIGEN; But because they came in haste, and not with loitering steps, it follows, They found Mary, (i.e. her who had brought Jesus into the world,) and Joseph, (i.e. the guardian of our Lord’s birth,) and the babe lying in the manger, (i.e. the Savior Himself.)
• THEOPHYL; It seems to succeed in due order, that after having rightly celebrated the incarnation of the Word, we should at length come to behold the actual glory of that Word. Hence it follows: But when they saw it, they made known the word which had been spoken to them.
• GREEK EX. Beholding with hidden faith indeed the happy events which had been told them, and not content with marveling at the reality of those things which at the very first they saw and embraced when the Angel told them, they began to relate them not only to Mary and Joseph, but to the others also (and what is more they impressed them on their minds,) as it follows, And all who heard it marveled. For how could it be otherwise, at the sight of one of the heavenly host upon earth, and earth in peace reconciled to heaven; and that ineffable Child binding together in one, by His divinity, heavenly things, by His humanity, earthly things, and by this conjunction of Himself ejecting a wonderful union!
• GLOSS. Not only do they marvel at the mystery of the incarnation, but also at so wonderful an attestation of the shepherds, men who could not have devised these unheard of things, but were with simple eloquence proclaiming the truth.
• AMBROSE; Esteem not the words of the shepherds as mean and despicable For from the shepherds Mary increases her faith, as it follows: Mary kept all these sayings, and pondered them in her heart. Let us learn the chastity of the sacred Virgin in all things, who no less chaste in her words than in her body, gathered up in her heart the materials of faith.
• THEOPHYL; For keeping the laws of virgin modesty, she who had known the secrets of Christ would divulge them to no one, but comparing what she had read in prophecy with what she now acknowledged to have taken place, she did not utter them with the mouth, but preserved them shut up in her heart.
• GREEK EX. Whatever the Angel had said to her, whatever she had heard from Zacharias, and Elisabeth, and the shepherds, she collected them all in her mind, and comparing them together, perceived in all one harmony. Truly, He was God who was born from her.
• ATHANAS. But every one rejoiced in the nativity of Christ, not with human feelings, as men are wont to rejoice when a son is born, but at the presence of Christ and the luster of the Divine light. As it follows: And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for every thing they had heard, &c.
• THEOPHYL; That is to say, from the Angels, and had seen, i.e. in Bethlehem, as it was told them, i.e. they glory in this, that when they came they found it even as it was told them, or as it was told them they give praise and glory to God. For this they were told by the Angels to do, not in very word commanding them, but setting before them the form of devotion when they sung glory to God in the highest.
• THEOPHYL; To speak in a mystery, let the shepherds of spiritual flocks, (nay, all the faithful,) after the example of, these shepherds, go in thought even to Bethlehem, and celebrate the incarnation of Christ with due honors. Let us go indeed casting aside all fleshly lusts, with the whole desire of the mind even to the heavenly Bethlehem, (i.e. the house of the living bread,) that He whom they saw crying in the manger we may deserve to see reigning on the throne of His Father. And such bliss as this is not to be sought for with sloth and idleness, but with eagerness must we follow the footsteps of Christ. When they saw Him they knew Him; and let us haste to embrace in the fullness of our love those things which were spoken of our Savior, that when the time shall come that we shall see with perfect knowledge we may be able to comprehend them.
• THEOPHYL; Again, the shepherds of the Lord’s flock by contemplating the life of the fathers who went before them, (which preserved the bread of life,) enter as it were the gates of Bethlehem, and find therein none other than the virgin beauty of the Church, that is, Mary; the manly company of spiritual doctors, that is, Joseph; and the lowly coming of Christ contained in the pages of Holy Scripture, that is, the infant child Christ, laid in the manger.
• ORIGEN; That was the manger which Israel knew not, according to those words of Isaiah, The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master’s crib.
• THEOPHYL; The shepherds did not hide in silence what they knew, because to this end have the Shepherds of the Church been ordained, that what they have learned in the Scriptures they might explain to their hearers.
• THEOPHYL; The masters of the spiritual flocks also, while others sleep, at one time by contemplation enter into the heavenly places, at another time pass around them by seeking the examples of the faithful, at another time by teaching return to the public duties of the pastoral office.
• THEOPHYL; Every one of us, even he who is supposed to live as a private person, exercises the office of shepherd, if, keeping together a multitude of good actions and pure thoughts, he strive to rule them with due moderation, to feed them with the food of the Scriptures, and to preserve them against the snares of the devil.

Christmas Bible Readings Midnight Mass December 25 2008 with Commentary

December 25 2008 Thursday Christmas Midnight Mass
Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord
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About the sources used. The readings on this site are from the Haydock Bible according to the daily Lectionary readings for the American Roman Catholic Church. The Haydock Bible contains traditional Catholic commentary and is free from copyright. Due to verse numbering differences and pastoral deletions in the actual Lectionary, these readings may at times vary from the actual readings.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/122508a.shtml

Isaiah (Isaias) 9:1-6
Douay-Rheims Challoner

At the first time the land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephtali was lightly touched: and at the last the way of the sea beyond the Jordan of the Galilee of the Gentiles was heavily loaded. The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and hast not increased the joy. They shall rejoice before thee, as they that rejoice in the harvest, as conquerors rejoice after taking a prey, when they divide the spoils. For the yoke of their burden, and the rod of their shoulder, and the sceptre of their oppressor thou hast overcome, as in the day of Madian. For every violent taking of spoils, with tumult, and garment mingled with blood, shall be burnt, and be fuel for the fire. For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.

Psalm 95: 1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13 Vulgate or (Ps 96 NAB)
Douay-Rheims Challoner Text Only
A canticle for David himself, when the house was built after the captivity.

Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle:
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing ye to the Lord and bless his name:
shew forth his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the Gentiles:
his wonders among all people.
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad,
let the sea be moved, and the fulness thereof:
The fields and all things that are in them shall be joyful.
Then shall all the trees of the woods rejoice
before the face of the Lord, because he cometh:
because he cometh to judge the earth.
He shall judge the world with justice,
and the people with his truth.

Titus 2:11-14
Haydock New Testament

11 For the grace of God, our Saviour, hath appeared to all men, 12 Instructing us, that denying impiety, and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and justly, and piously in this world, 13 Waiting for the blessed hope, and coming of the glory of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

14 Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for Himself a people acceptable, pursuing good works.

The Gospel According to Saint Luke 2:1-14
Haydock NT

And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled. This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David, To be enrolled with Mary, his espoused wife, who was with child. And it came to pass that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him up in swaddling-clothes, and laid him in a manger: because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds, watching, and keeping the night-watches over their flock. And behold an Angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them, and they feared with a great fear. And the Angel said to them:

Fear not: for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people: For this day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ, the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you: You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and laid in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying:

Glory to God in the highest: and on earth, peace to men of good will.

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Haydock Commentary Isaiah 9:1-6

• Ver. 1. Loaded. Theglathphalassar took away whole tribes, (2 Par. v. 26.) the year after this. Yet these people were the first enlightened with the rays of the gospel, (Matt. 4:13) though so much despised. Jo. vii. 52. C.—Here Christ preached first. But after his passion, few Jews believed in him. W.
• Ver. 2. Risen. The kingdom of Juda hoped for redress, when they saw the people of Israel humbled, (H.) or rather after the defeat of Sennacherib. C.
• Ver. 3. And hast. Parkhurst says it should be, “(whom) thou hast not brought up (the Gentiles) with joy they,” &c Sym. H.—The numerous forces of the Assyrians could not save them from the angel. Under Ezechias (Hezekiah) the people increased. Wsa not his reign a figure of the Church persecuted and increasing; but on that account, in danger from a relaxation of discipline? Lk 5:7.—Spoils. They shall return thanks to God for the unexpected liberation.
• Ver. 4. Oppressor. Who levied taxes for Assyria. 4. K. xviii. 7. (2 Sm 18:7) Sennacherib made war, because Ezechias refused to pay them any longer, and his troops fell upon each other, (C.) as the Madianites had done. Judg. vii. H.
• Ver. 5. Fire. Being cut and useless. See Diss. on the defeat of Sennacherib. C.
• Ver. 6. Child. The Messiah, whom the son of Isaias prefigured.—Shoulder. Where the badges of royalty were worn. C.—Christ bore his cross. Tert. &c.—Wonderful. In his birth, &c.—Counsellor. From whom all good advice proceeds. Grotius falsely translates, “the consulter of the strong God,” meaning Ezechias. Though he deemed the Socinians unworthy of the Christian name, (Ep. ad Valleum) he too often sides with them. Johets always means one who “gives counsel.” C. xl. 13. Ezechias was at this time ten years old, and he did not always take advice, nor was his reign peaceful, &c.—God. The three Greek versions maliciously render El “the strong,” though it be uncertain that it ever has that meaning, as it certainly has not when joined with gibbor, “mighty.” Why should two terms of the same import be used? The Sept. copies vary much. Some read only, “he shall be called the angel of the great council, for I will bring peace upon the princes and his health.” S. Jerome thinks they were afraid to style the child God. But this reason falls to the ground, as other copies have, (C.) after council, “Wonderful, Counsellor, God, the Mighty, the Potent, (unintelligible Greek text here), the Prince of Peace, the Father of the world to come, for, &c. (7.) His.” Grabe (de Vitiis lxx. p. 29.) asserts that the former is the genuine version, and that the inserted titles are a secondary one; so that there must have been two versions before the days of Aquila, as the text is thus quoted at large by Clement and S. Irenæus, A. 180; Kennicott adds also by S. Ignatius, A. 110. H.—The omnipotent God became a little child, and without violence subdued the world, which he still governs. W.

Haydock Commentary Titus 2:11-14

• Ver. 11. For the grace of God, our Saviour, hath appeared to all men. In the Greek: For the saving grace of God, &c. Wi.
• Ver. 12. We should live soberly, § and justly, and piously. S. Jerome puts (as in other places for the same Greek word) chastely, justly, and piously. The words comprehend man’s duty to himself, to his neighbour, and towards God. Wi.
• Ver. 13. Waiting for the blessed hope; i.e. for the happiness of the blessed in heaven, promised and hoped for.—And coming of the glory of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The title of great God, says Dr. Wells, is here referred to our Saviour Jesus Christ, by Clem. Of Alex. in protreptico, c. vi. He might have added, and by the general consent of the Greek and Latin Fathers. S. Chrys. here cries out: “where are now they who say that the Son is less than the Father?” S. Jerome in like manner: “where is the serpent Arius? Where is the snake Eunomius?” And that this title of great God is here given to Jesus Christ, may be shewn from the text itself, especially in the Greek; for the glorious coming, and appearance, in other places of S. Paul, is always used to signify Christ’s coming to judge the world. Secondly, inasmuch as one and the same Greek article falls upon the great God, and our Saviour Christ; so that even M. Simon, in a note on these words, says the construction is, and the coming of Jesus Christ, the great God, our Saviour, and blames Erasmus and Grotius for pretending that this place is not a confutation of the Arians. Wi.
• Ver. 14. A people, particularly acceptable. S. Jerome translates an egregious or eminent people. He says in the Sept. it corresponds to segula, which signifies a man’s proper possessions, which he has purchased or chosen for himself. Budeus says it signifies what is rare and uncommon; and it is well translated by the Protestants, a particular people. Wi.

Haydock Commentary Luke 2:1-14

• Ver. 1. By the whole world, is understood the Roman empire. Wi.—This decree was promulgated in the 752d year of Rome, in the 3970ty year of the world, and the 42d year of the reign of Augustus, when there was universal peace, and the temple of Janus remained shut for 12 years. Jans. Concord. Evan.—It was the custom among the Jews to be numbered according to their tribes and families. Hence arose the necessity of the journey of the Holy Family to Nazareth. This enrolment probably included the number, as well as the property of each family, that the taxes might be proportioned. Idem ibid.
• Ver. 2. By Cyrinus, or Publius Sulp. Quirinus. Wi.—This was the first census made by Quirinus, governor of Syria: nine years after the birth of Christ, this same Quirinus was charged to make a second, when Judea was reduced to a Roman province, by the deposition and exile of Archelaus. V.
• Ver. 3. Into his own city, i.e. the city of every one’s family. Now Joseph and Mary, being both of the family of David, were obliged to go to Bethlehem, the city of David, where by Providence, according to the predictions of the prophets, the Messiah was to be born. Wi.—This decree took place by a special providence of the Almighty, that every one might be compelled to go to his own country; and that thereby the Saviour of Israel might more easily escape the snares of the treacherous Herod. Ven. Bede.—This circumstance, moreover, was a public testimony, to be kept in the archives of the country, of the birth and descent of the Messiah. Augustus only meant to enumerate his subjects, but among them was numbered his God.
• Ver. 4. The evangelist here mentions the city of David, to remind us how exactly that was fulfilled, which God promised to David, that an everlasting king should be born of him: and the reason why the inspired writer was content to mention the relationship between Joseph and David, omitting that of the Blessed Virgin and the royal prophet, was, because in the law it was commanded that the persons of the same family should intermarry; hence it is added in the subsequent verse, with Mary, his espoused wife. S. Irenæus hær. l. iii. c. 11.
• Ver. 7. In a manger within a stable, or place where beasts were sheltered. And it is the common opinion that an ox and an ass were there at that time. See Baronius, Tillemont, &c. Wi.—O wonderful mystery! O astonishing condescension of a God-man! From his birth he takes upon himself poverty. Had such been his pleasure, Christ might, at his birth, have shaken the heavens by his power, and terrified all nature by his majesty. But these were not the attendants of his coming; for he came not to destroy, but to save; not to display riches, but to teach us a contempt of human grandeur. He therefore condescended not only to become man, but even the vilest of men. Metaphrastes.
• Ver. 11. Because the light of life is risen to us, dwelling in the region of the shadow of death. Ven Bede.
• Ver. 12. On the eastern side of the town of Bethlehem, says S. Justin, S. Jerome, &c. there was a cave cut in the side of a rock, in which was a manger used by the people of those environs; so that these shepherds easily understood the angel, who told them they should find him laid in a manger. SS. Jerome Greg. Naz. Cyril, say that they found the child between an ox and an ass, according to the version of the Septuagint. Habacuc 3:2: You shall find him laid between two beasts. In the place where this crib was, S. Helen. Built a magnificent church in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Ven. Bede says that she built another in honour of the three shepherds; whence S. Bernard concludes, that there were only three shepherds that came to adore the divine infant in the manger. Tirinus.—It might be necessary to give them notice of this humble appearance of the Messiah, to encourage them to go and pay him their homage. Baradius.
• Ver. 14. And on earth, peace to men of good will. I had translated, peace to men of his good will, looking upon the sense to be, that a peace and reconciliation were offered, and given to men from the good will and mercy of God. The ordinary Greek copies altogether favour this exposition. And Bellarmine (L. ii, de Verb. D. c. 11.) is so convinced of this sense, that he brings it for an instance of one of those places, in which the true sense of the Latin is to be found by the Greek text; which is many times true: but Bellarmine might not take notice, that several of the best Greek MSS. are conformable to the Latin Vulgate, and have peace to men of good will; as it is also expounded by divers of the ancient Fathers, that peace is offered to men of good will, to those who by the grace of God are disposed to believe and obey the Gospel-doctrine. And upon this, having advised with others, I did not think fit to change the former Rheimish translation. Wi.—The reason why the will is designated in preference to any other power of the soul, is, because the will moves the rest; consequently the goodness or badness of an action depends chiefly on the will. By this also the angels wished to shew, that the peace which Christ came to bring into the world, was the internal peace of our souls, of which the external peace that subsisted under Augustus, was a figure. Nic. de Lyra.—Peace is made on earth, since human carnation. Theophylactus.—In this hymn of the angels there is a remarkable difference observable in some of the Greek and Latin copies. The latter have it according to this text, men of good will; the former, good will among men, or to men. The Greek signifies the gratuitous benevolence of God towards man. So that this sentence seems divided into three parts: glory to God, peace on earth, and good will to men. Jans. Conc. Evang.—The birth of Christ giveth not peace of mind, or salvation, but to such as are of good will, because he worketh not our good against our wills, but with the concurrence of our will. S. Aug. quæst. Ad. Simplic. 1. 1. q. 2. t. 4.