Pronounced before the people

in the basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

the day of the Lord's Nativity

December 25, 590 (Midnight Mass)

The birth of Jesus

This Homily of Christmas night naturally deals with the birth of the Savior. It is very short, and Grégoire gives the reason at the beginning.

He then explains why Jesus was born in the small town of Bethlehem, a name that means "House of Bread", and why we sleep in a manger.

Then the preacher is astonished that angels are manifesting themselves as our companions on Christmas Eve, while until then, they let men worship them. The reason he gives for it allows him to exhort his flock to make himself worthy of such an honor. The final, which traces a small rule of life, is beautiful. His last sentence is struck as a sentence apt to be engraved in the memory of the listeners.

Lk 2, 1-14

At that time there appeared an edict of Caesar Augustus, ordering to survey the whole earth. This first census took place under Quirinius, governor of Syria, and all were going to register, each in his city. Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to the city of David, Bethlehem, in Judea, because he was of the house and family of David, to be registered with his wife, Mary, who was pregnant.

But while they were there, the time she was to give birth was fulfilled. And she gave birth to her first-born son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and put him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

There were shepherds in those parts who spent the night watching over the care of their flocks. And behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, while the light of God enveloped them; they were seized with great fear. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. Behold, I proclaim to you a great joy, which will be for all the people: a Savior, Christ the Lord, was born to you today in the city of David. You will recognize it at this sign: you will find a newborn baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly militia, who praised God and said:" Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to men of good will. "

Since we owe to the largesse of God to celebrate Mass three times today, we can not speak to you at length about the gospel that has just been read. But the very Nativity of our Redeemer obliges us to address you at least a few words.

Why this census of the world just before the birth of the Lord? Was it not to announce clearly that then came into the flesh the one who would make the census of his elect in eternity? On the contrary, the prophet says about the reprobates, "Let them be stricken from the book of the living, and not be registered with the righteous." (Ps 69, 29)

It is also fitting that the Lord be born in Bethlehem, for Bethlehem means "house of bread". And is it not our Redeemer himself who declared: "I am the living bread that comes down from heaven" (Jn 6:41). Thus, the birthplace of the Lord has in advance received the name of "House of bread", because there must appear there, clothed in flesh, one who would satisfy the souls of the elect inwardly.

He is born, not in his parents' house, but on the way, to show that by borrowing our human nature, he was born as in a foreign place. Stranger, not in relation to his power, but to his nature. For as for his power, it is written, "He came to him" (Jn 1, 11). And if he was born in his nature before all times, he came to take our nature over time. While remaining Jehovah, He manifested Himself in time: It is therefore well in a strange place that He descended.

And since the prophet says, "All flesh is like grass" (Is 40: 6), the Lord, in becoming man, has changed our herb into wheat, he who has designated himself by saying, "If the grain wheat falling in the earth does not die, it remains alone "(Jn 12:24). Therefore, immediately after his birth, he is laid in a manger, that he may feed on it the wheat of his flesh those holy animals which are the faithful, and that he will not let them be deprived of this food of the intelligence that lasts forever.

Why does the angel appear to the shepherds when they watch, and why does the light of God surround them, if not because pastors who are careful to lead the flock of their faithful deserve, among all others, to see the things of God? up? And when they watch lovingly over their flocks, divine grace illuminates them with more abundance.

2. It is an angel who announces the birth of the King, and the choirs of the angels join their voices to his, and in their common joy they sing: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to men of good will. "Before our Redeemer was born in the flesh, we were in contention with the angels, being very far removed from their brilliant purity by the corruption of the first sin and by our faults every day. And as our sins had made us strangers to God, the angels, those inhabitants of the city of God, took us for strangers to their society. But since we knew our King, the angels have recognized us for their fellow citizens. And because the King of Heaven has assumed our flesh kneaded with earth, the angels have stopped despising our weakness from the height of their sublimity: they find peace with us, forget the grievances of our old discord, and now honor as companions those they had previously despised as weak and miserable beings. This is why Lot (see Gen 19: 1) and Joshua (Jos 5:14) worshiped the angels without being prevented from doing so, while John, in his Apocalypse, who wanted to worship an angel, was prevented from doing so by him. who says to him, "Be careful not to do it, for I am a servant just as you and your brothers" (Rev 22: 9). Why are the angels who, before the coming of the Redeemer, let themselves be worshiped by men without saying a word, refuse to do so after his coming? Would it not be that seeing our nature raised up above them, whom they had at first despised, they dread to see her prostrate at their feet? They dare no longer esteem themselves as beneath them that feeble nature which they now reverence above them in the King of Heaven. And they willingly accept man for companion, since their adoration goes up to the God-Man.

Let us, therefore, dear brothers, be careful not to defile us with any impurity, we who, in eternal foreknowledge, are the fellow citizens of the city of God and the equals of its angels. Let us testify of our dignity by all our conduct: do not allow ourselves to be polluted by lust, nor to charge the conscience of the least shameful thought, nor to bite into our souls by wickedness, nor to gnaw at the rust of envy, nor to swell by pride, neither tearing by the attraction of earthly seductions, nor inflaming by anger; for men have been called gods (Ps 82: 6).

O man, defend in you the honor of God against vices, since it is for you that God became man, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.