We remember the story of the birth of a baby boy, but we celebrate the Nativity of the Lord. What's the difference in these two points of reference? The birth of a child, girl or boy, is a blessing. We hold that life is the precious gift of God, the giver of all gifts. Life itself is to be celebrated, and in our gratitude for this great gift of life, we are called to nurture all life, protect all life, rejoice in every life given. So, remembering the story of the birth of a baby boy to a young unwed young woman in Bethlehem... this is part of our shared human history: every day, the good earth rejoices in another birth of another baby.
But at this evening liturgy (the Vigil) or at this morning Mass, we do more than remember the birth of a baby boy. This is the Nativity of the Lord... a remembrance of and a celebration in the incredible profession of faith we Catholics make, Sunday by Sunday. In the birth of this particular baby boy, born to this particular unwed mother, we hold that the Eternal One, the "God" behind all that is has entered our own history... as one of us. Incredibly, the Church professes that the eternal, communicating Word of God was born in a particular space and at a particular time, born of a particular unwed woman, in circumstances of every day poverty and oppression. And what is more, we profess that this baby boy grew to maturity and is known now as Lord, the Son of God, born of Mary... in our flesh and blood. Lord and Savior... this is the Jesus we remember.
An insight to this joyful evening or morning: the Nativity of Jesus the Lord is the true reason for this season. This is the true meaning of Christmas.
The second insight into our celebration is your presence here, with the parish family of SJN. In the name of the whole parish family, I want every visitor to know this: you are invited to come and see how we live together as disciples of the Lord Jesus, how we are a family of faith, hope and love. We are not a perfect family. We are a family that needs lots of TLC, some forgiveness and a bit of correction, from time to time. Still, we are a real family... and this family of St. John Neumann exists in obedience to the Lord, who asks us to join together in fellowship and in the Spirit.
We celebrate the Nativity of the Lord, and this Christmas gift of redemption is offered to every person here; and in this celebration, as disciples of the man from Nazareth, we invite you... to join with us in the work we have been given: to manifest the Presence of the Lord by faithfully becoming what we are called to be: the Body of the Lord on this good earth. Come and see what joy there is in living the life.
Msgr. David Talley
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