SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD (CHRISTMAS)

1st Reading         Isaiah 52: 7-10

Psalm                    Ps. 98:1-6 (R. 3cd)

2nd Reading       Hebrew 1:1-6

Gospel                  John 1: 1-18

GOD DOES NOT ABANDON HIS OWN

Dear friends, today is Christmas and we recall the birth of Christ, the Word made flesh (Jn. 1: 14). Today's readings focus on the Birth of Christ and how God graciously intervenes in human affairs. We rejoice because our darkness has seen the light of day and hope has been assured a hopeless people labouring under the pains of the exiles of sin and death.

The first reading is from Isaiah 52: 7-10 and, from our knowledge of the book of Isaiah so far, it falls within the second part of Isaiah, called Deutero-Isaiah (Ch. 40-55). This is the Book of Consolation; consolation for an oppressed people languishing in exile. A section of this book has been carved out for us to indicate that we have also been consoled at the saviour's birth. 

The particular intention of the author of Deutero-Isaiah, from the preceding passage, is to bring hope to the people of Judah who have suffered defeat and have seen their beloved Jerusalem destroyed and many of their fellow citizens killed by the sword. The survivors have suffered a lengthy exile in Babylon. The people wonder if God has abandoned them. God has raised Cyrus of Persia to defeat the Babylonians and to assume the cruel oppression of the Babylonians and will allow the people of Judah to return to their homeland and to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple.

Within this context we find the messenger bringing Good news from Babylon to Jerusalem. The good news is that God (through King Cyrus of Persia) has defeated Babylon and Judah will soon be free. To exiles who have lost hope that they might ever be free again, there is a message of hope. Even the one who announces peace and good news and salvation is beautiful (right down to his feet), a view of an expectation peculiar to them.

The messenger carries three distinguishable features of his message: GOOD NEWS (Mebasser), SALVATION (Yeshuw'ah) and ASSURANCE THAT GOD REIGNS. Remember that in a Synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus speaks about his mission to "bring GOOD NEWS to the poor, liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, freedom for the oppressed and a year acceptable to the Lord" (Luke 4: 18-19). I want us to see the proclamation of GOOD NEWS in Jesus. He becomes the GOOD NEWS as "the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (Jn. 1: 5). In fact, the Hebrew word MEBASSER for GOOD NEWS in Isaiah 52: 7-10 is translated as EUANGELION (Greek) in Luke 4: 18-19 to be GLAD TIDINGS or GOOD NEWS.

Secondly, take note of the fact that the word SALVATION is rendered in Hebrew as YESHUW'AH (Yeshuwah). This Hebrew word is related to the name Jesus because Jesus is derived from Yeshuw'ah. Jesus means Saviour and he is to "save his people from their sins" (Matt. 1: 21). What is noticed is that YESHUW'AH and JESUS have a sense of Salvation. It could be that implicitly the Messiah is mentioned in the word SALVATION (YESHUW'AH). 

Thirdly, let us cast our minds back to the announcement of John the Baptist that "the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3: 3) and Jesus' assertion in his interaction with the Pharisees on the coming of the Kingdom that "the Kingdom of God is among you" (Lk. 17:21b). I want us to read between the lines that with the presence of Christ, there is the establishment of the Kingdom of God. God is King, and hence Jesus is King. Hence, the three features of the message of the messenger in Isaiah can be seen in the future Messiah, Jesus Christ. He is the GOOD NEWS, THE SALVATION, AND THE KING.

The first group of people to hear the Good News are "WATCHMEN" (Tsâphâh). Watchmen, in the context of Isaiah, are supposed to watch for approaching enemies and danger. If you like, they watch for the bad news. The messenger carries the GOOD NEWS back to Zion (Jerusalem). God is now among his people. Instead of the watchmen crying out for approaching danger and fighting enemies, they will shout for joy because of Good News. There will be an overturn of expectations. They will be transformed and when they are transformed, they will also by their action transform the rest of the people abandoned in the city. They will also be heralds of Good News and no more bad news.

The next group then are all people living in the destroyed city of Jerusalem. The prophet calls them to "break forth into singing" (Isaiah 52: 9) because God has made possible their restoration. They will no longer be a ruined people, but will instead be a redeemed people. They, who are called "the waste places of Jerusalem", are given the assurance that the Lord has determined to effect his redemption and so the people can be certain that it will happen.

This is the consoling and hopeful message of Christmas. God's plan to redeem us from sins and oppression and to give us freedom has seen himself taking flesh and becoming one of us. He has not abandoned us and he will save us. May the Joy of Christmas enable us to always hope in the saving power of God. May we give hope to those who are in despair as we have received the Good News of salvation. 

Merry Christmas. 

Pax et Bonum.