Sermon 190
SERMO 190
ON THE BIRTHDAY OF THE LORD
The day of Christ's birth holds the mystery of His light.
Our Lord Jesus, who was with the Father before He was born of a mother, chose not only the virgin from whom He would be born but also the day on which He would be born. Erring men often choose days: one for planting, another for building, another for setting out, and sometimes even another for marrying. When one does this, he does so that something resulting from it may be nourished fortunately. However, no one can choose the day on which he himself is to be born. But He, who could choose and create both, was able to do both. Nor did He choose the day as those do who vainly suspend human fates on the disposition of the stars. For He did not become blessed by the day on which He was born; rather, He made the day blessed by deigning to be born on it. Indeed, the day of His birth holds the mystery of His light. Thus the Apostle says: "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day." Let us recognize the day, and let us be the day. For we were night when we lived in unbelief. And because the very unbelief which covered the whole world as a vice of night was to be diminished by growing faith; therefore, on the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, the night begins to suffer losses, and the day to gain increases. Let us therefore, brothers, celebrate this solemn day, not like unbelievers because of this sun, but because of Him who made this sun. For the Word was made flesh, so that for our sake He might be under the sun. For His flesh was under the sun; but by His majesty He was over the whole universe, in which He created the sun. Now indeed, even in His flesh He is above this sun, whom they worship as God, who, blinded in mind, do not see the true sun of justice.
He wished to honor each sex by being born.
Therefore, Christians, on this day, let us not celebrate the divine birth, but the human one, by which He was merged with us; so that through the invisible made visible, we might pass from the visible to the invisible. For we must hold with catholic faith that there are two births of the Lord: one divine, the other human; the former timeless, the latter in time. Both are marvelous: the former without a mother, the latter without a father. If we do not understand the latter, when will we narrate the former? Who can comprehend a new novelty, unusual, unique in the world, made incredible yet believable, and believed incredibly throughout the whole world, that a virgin would conceive, a virgin would give birth, and a virgin would remain after giving birth? What human reason has not found, faith accepts: and where human reason fails, faith flourishes. For who would say that the Word of God, through which all things were made, was unable to make flesh for Himself even without a mother, just as He made the first man without a father and a mother? But because He certainly created both sexes, that is, male and female, He therefore wished to honor both sexes also in His birth, whom He came to liberate. Certainly, you know the fall of the first man, because the serpent did not dare to speak to the man, but used the ministry of a woman to bring him down. Through the weaker, he obtained the stronger: and he who penetrated through the one, triumphed over both. Therefore, so that we could not shudder our death in woman as if with a just movement of grief, and believe her condemned without restoration; the Lord, coming to seek what had perished, wished to honor and commend both, because both had perished. Thus, we must not do injury to the Creator in either sex: the Nativity of the Lord commended both to hope for salvation. The honor of the male sex is in the flesh of Christ: the honor of the female is in the mother of Christ. The cunning of the serpent was overcome by the grace of Jesus Christ.
Christ is both an infant and the Word.
Therefore, let each sex be reborn in Him who was born today, and celebrate the present day: on which day Christ the Lord did not begin to exist, but He who was always with the Father, brought forth into this light the flesh which He took from His mother; bringing fruitfulness to the mother, not taking away her integrity. He is conceived, He is born, He is an infant. Who is this infant? For he is called an infant because he cannot speak, that is, articulate. Therefore, He is both an infant and the Word. Through flesh He is silent, through angels He teaches. He is announced to shepherds, the prince and shepherd of shepherds: and He lies in a manger, the faithful food for beasts. For it had been foretold by the Prophet: "The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib." Therefore, He sat on a donkey when He entered Jerusalem with the praises of the multitude preceding and following Him. And let us recognize, let us approach the manger, let us consume the food, let us carry the Lord and ruler; that He, leading, might bring us to the heavenly Jerusalem. The birth of Christ from His mother is humble; but His greatness from the Father is ample. In temporal days He has a temporal day; but He Himself is the eternal day from the eternal day.
Strength has been made weak.
Rightly we are ignited by his psalms as if by the voice of a heavenly trumpet, where we hear: Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, and bless his name. Let us acknowledge, therefore, and proclaim day by day, he who was born in the flesh on this day. The Son born from the Father day by day, God from God, light from light. For this is the salvation of which it is said elsewhere: God be merciful to us and bless us; let his face shine upon us: that we may know on earth your way, your salvation among all nations. What he said, on earth; he repeated, among all nations: and what he said, your way; he repeated, your salvation. We remember that the Lord himself said: I am the way. And now, when the Gospel was read, we heard that the blessed elder Simeon received a divine response that he would not taste death before seeing the Christ of the Lord. When he had received the child Christ in his hands and recognized the greatness in the little one, he said, "Now you dismiss your servant, Lord, according to your word, in peace: for my eyes have seen your salvation." Therefore let us well proclaim day by day, his salvation. Let us proclaim his glory among the nations, his wonders among all peoples. He lies in the manger, but holds the world: he nurses at the breast, but feeds the angels: he is wrapped in swaddling clothes, but clothes us with immortality: he is suckled, but is worshipped: he finds no place in the inn, but makes a temple for himself in the hearts of believers. To ensure that weakness might become strong, strength became weak. Therefore, let us marvel more, rather than despise his carnal birth; and there let us recognize the humility of such highness for our sake. From there let us kindle love, so that we may reach his eternity.