OUR FAITH

At the tragic beginning of mankind’s history lies the sin of PRIDE.  Man wanted to be “like God” (Gen. 3:5), and himself become the ultimate yardstick of good and evil, actually making God “The big good for nothing” or at least “the superfluous”.  By pride man took the absolute sovereignty over life and world in his own hand, and we know how terrible its consequences are for the entire human race. At the beginning of the history of man’s rehabilitation and salvation lies the act of HUMILITY, by which God wanted to be “like man”, who voluntarily, from within all human limitations and restrictions, would submit Himself to the Father’s will and authority.  Nobody has ever better described just mentioned contrast or clair-obscure, than Saint Paul, when he wrote:  “He always had had the nature of God, but…of His own free will He took the nature of a servant.  He became like man, …He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death, His death on the Cross… And so in honor of the Name of Jesus, all beings in heaven and on earth will fall on their knees, and all will openly proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord…” (Phil 2:4-11)

 

Like the life of any human being, His life too was conditioned by circumstances beyond His control. For example, Jesus’ birth did not take place in Nazareth, as we should have expected, but in Bethlehem.  Shortly before Mary’s time had come to have her baby, she and Joseph had to leave for Bethlehem.  It was not at the request of the Angel of the Lord, but due to a decree of the ruling emperor, August, by which all people had to be registered in their respective town of origin.  So it happened, that already at His birth, Jesus was bound and subject to the will of authorities.  He was powerless against the powerful!  He belonged to the weak, who always have to recede for the strong!

 

However, precisely that being conditioned by seemingly mere natural and social factors was the situation, in which God was at work and wanted to carry out His work of Salvation.  It shows, that what we think are merely human or secular circumstances, may serve God’s plans about life and the world.

 

The emperor saw the census throughout his immense empire as a means to safeguard its political and territorial unity.  From the outcome of the census he would know how many soldiers he could recruit and how much taxation to impose. 

 

In the wider perspective of God, however, this secular setting, to which Jesus seemed to be delivered, was instrumental to God’s ends, and used by Him.  Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem was not mere coincidence.  Bethlehem was called the town of David.  Here the Shepherd-boy had been called and anointed King.  Now in the same town the One is born, who is truly Son of David, true Shepherd in charge of God’s flock.  As being the Word of God He is the “truly Called by God”; and as Messiah, He is the truly “Anointed” the Anointed par excellence.

 

Yet it is told, that there was no room for Him in the inn of Bethlehem.  We could interpret the fact, as if originally His parents had been looking for a place there, but that it was fully booked.  However, a more likely interpretation is that an inn as public facility would not be the right place for the Mystery of Jesus’ birth.  In an inn Mary, Joseph and the Child would have been visitors, travelers only, paying guests.  Whereas by His incarnation and birth Jesus entered into His own possession, as is said by the Apostle John:  “He came to His own country, but His own did not receive Him” (1:11)

 

So it came about that Jesus was born in the loneliness and poverty of a stable in the fields, yet a place that numerous people, especially the little and the poor, would claim to be theirs and share with anybody in need of it.

 

The newly born King of the new Israel was laid down in a manger.  He was not a visitor, traveler, or guest, but one of whole mankind.

 

Shepherds were the first to whom the birth of Jesus has been announced.  Israel was a nation of shepherds and Jesus Himself is the Shepherd of the new mankind. The great and powerful do not understand this true greatness, and learned persons have a wrong idea of the Wisdom of the Lord.  The Contents of the announcement is Good News. Three words summarize it:  Savior.  The Anointed, and Lord.  Jesus is the Savior who came to liberate men who are unable by themselves to liberate their own sinfulness.  He is The Anointed, because His human nature was ordained by the oil of His Godhead becoming Priest, Prophet and King.  Jesus is the Lord, because to Him was given all the Power in heaven and on earth.  How wonderful its SIGN!  “You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth lying in a manger”.  The little becomes sign of the great.  The weak sign of power.  The poor sign of riches.  Already at the birth of Jesus people are asked to think in a different way with regard to the matters of God; different norms are in force and other criteria must be used.

 

The announcement is concluded by the SONG OF THE ANGELS.  The song expresses on two levels three elements which are parallel. On the upper level are THE HIGHEST, GLORY and GOD, while the second mentions THE EARTH, PEACE and MEN.

 

Again God in the highest receives honor and glory. For now the hidden splendor of God becomes visible in Jesus Christ. He, Who in all His deeds bore the seal of infiniteness, could really render to God the honor worthy to Him and totally beyond human capacity.

 

Again on earth, peace could rule among men, because heaven and earth that were divorced by sin now would be united in grace. It all could happen, as in Jesus Christ, and thanks to the Incarnation of His Son, God was pleased with man, who now could find favor in Him. So that song of the angels is the mighty antiphon to the psalm of Jesus’ life, and the profound prologue to the great events that were about to be accomplished. It was not just a wish or a prayer “Glory to God,” but a statement and promulgations of a fact: glory to God and peace to men. The hour of our salvation had started. For the Savior of the world was born. First result is the decision of the shepherds to accept in full faith the announcement and to go to see the Child. They wanted to search for God, and so they found Mary, Joseph and the Child. The shepherds, bowing the heads, entered the cave and felt that they were in their own familiar environment. Nothing was romantic or alien to their life. They were in their own world. So afterwards they returned to their own daily activities, and in doing so they disclosed the insight, that searching for God on earth does not mean changing our external circumstances, but an inner change of heart. When later some men, who studied stars, came from the east to Jerusalem, they wanted to visit and honor the newborn King. But then they were lost. Highly and proudly seated on their dromedaries and camels and surrounded by their entourage, they had to ask for an audience with King Herod, who could do no more than just showing the direction of Bethlehem. There they descended from their high positions, and saw the Child with His mother, Mary. Then in all humility they knelt down – like the shepherds had done before them – and worshipped Him. Their humbleness had brought them to Him. It is the lesson we all have to learn: “The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever makes himself great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be made great.” – Matthew 23: 11-12.

 

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