mother, chose not only the mother of whom he would be bom, but also the day
SERMON 190
ON CHRISTMAS DAY
Date: 391-4001
Even the day of Christ's birth contains the mystery of his light
1. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was with the Father before he was bom of his mother, chose not only the mother of whom he would be bom, but also the day on which he would be bom. Fallible human beings often choose days, one for planting, another for building, another for setting out, and sometimes even for marrying a wife. When people do this, the reason they do it is in order that something already bom, so to say, may grow up or turn out well. Nobody, however, can choose the day on which actually to be bom. But he was able to choose both, because he was able to create both. Nor did he choose the day in the same way as people do, who vainly hang the fates of individuals on the dispositions of the stars. I mean, in this case the one who was bom was not made lucky by the day, but he gave good luck to the day on which he was graciously pleased to be bom.
Because even the day of his birth contains the mystery of his light. That, you see, is what the apostle says: The night is far advanced, while the day has drawn near; let us throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us walk decently as in the day (Rom 13:12-13). Let us recognize the day, and let us be the day. We were night, you see, when we were living as unbelievers. And this unbelief, which had covered the whole world as a kind of night, was to be diminished by the growth of faith; that's why, on the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the night begins to be encroached upon, and the day to grow longer.
So, brothers and sisters, let us keep this day as a festival; not, like the unbelievers, because of that sun up there in the sky,2 but because of the one who made that sun. That which was the Word, you see, became flesh, in order to be able for our sakes to be under the sun.3 Under the sun, indeed, in the flesh; but in divine greatness over the entire universe, in which he placed the sun. Now, though, he is also over that sun even in the flesh,4 the sun which people worship instead of God, because in their mental blindness they cannot see the true sun of justice.5