By Scholasticus

Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East, and are come to adore Him.

HERE is the only true meaning of Christmas: the Son of God has indeed become man to raise us up from our dreadful fall into sin, and restore to us by His bitter sufferings, the precious jewel given to our souls at the creation, sanctifying grace, which is nothing less than a participation in the Divine Life. Sanctifying grace—the gift of God, greater than all the purely natural gifts of body and soul, greater, in fact, than everything else in the universe put together—that is the principle that was meant, in the Divine Plan, to inspire, illuminate, to permeate, the actions of every member of the human race. But, it was stripped from us by the craftiness of the Evil One—and by our own guilty complicity.

Now, after the excruciatingly long wait of four thousand years, the hour of Grace, foretold for centuries and sighed after by all the prophets of Israel has finally dawned. It is the hour of reconciliation between God and man, the hour of pardon, the hour of the Redeemer. This is why the angels were so jubilant last month, when they cried out in a mighty chorus: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will!"

Last month, then, we saw the Messiah announced to His own people, the Jews, who had been taught by centuries of the prophetic oracles that the Christ would be called "the Son of David," meaning a descendant of King David. The shepherds watching in the fields that night were pious Jews who knew of these prophecies, and therefore they were able to grasp the meaning of the electrifying announcement from the angels: "This day is born to you a Savior who is Christ the Lord, in the City of David."

However, the triumph of the new-born Child is not yet complete. It will not be complete until all the ends of the earth learn of His coming. He will not be the Redeemer of the Jews alone, but of the Gentiles also, all the nations sunk in idolatry and vice who as yet knew nothing of the true God. The good shepherds on Christmas night, representing the genuinely spiritual-minded Jews who would come to believe in Christ, have come to adore. But, after all, history shows that only a relatively small number of Jews would come to accept the Messiah. The majority by far of believers in Jesus Christ would come from among the Gentiles, the previously pagan nations.

Where then are the Gentiles? They are still nowhere to be found, because the Child has not yet been manifested to the world. Yet, a delegation is on its way, and this delegation will represent all the peoples of the world, indeed all the nations from the first century right down to the present time, who ever have, or ever will, believe in Jesus Christ. Unlike the pious shepherds, they do not receive the good tidings from the angels, but from an inanimate creature. Of course, everybody knows who these first worshippers of Christ among the Gentiles were. The Gospel and a constant tradition call them "the Magi," the Wise Men. Because the nations were still steeped in sensuality, error, and vice, because they worshipped false gods, inanimate gods of silver, gold, wood or iron, they will be led to the true God by an inanimate creature: a star.

Imagine, then, the commotion, when the Magi finally arrived in Jerusalem, and began inquiring: "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East and are come to adore him."

Now to use a current expression, we really do have to hand it to the Magi. Their admirable conduct contains lessons that we can learn much from even today. In the first place, they are genuinely looking for Christ. True, God gave them a star to guide them, but they are not lazy followers; they know what it means to search for God, and search with diligence. How many Catholics today can say, in all honesty, that they are looking for the truth, or looking for an extra opportunity to go to Mass, or looking for opportunities to serve Jesus Christ with the same eagerness as these three visitors from the East, who have never seen Him before in their lives?

Secondly, if we reflect for a moment, it will give us some idea of their remarkable courage. Imagine if somebody were to travel to Iran, and go up and down the capital, asking people: "I just heard that a new ruler is going to come along and replace the Ayatollah. Anybody know anything about it?" Or try to picture some tourist in Libya seeking people out on the streets of Tripoli, demanding to know: "Is it true that another colonel is getting ready to succeed Gaddafy? Where is he?"

These comparisons are not as ridiculous as they seem. The Jews in Jerusalem had no notion of a purely spiritual Messiah; they envisioned the Son of David as some kind of super warrior who would establish Israel's domination over the world in a purely materialistic, carnal sense. What, then, must the impact have been when these strange men came in from the East asking for the king of the Jews, announcing that they have "come to adore Him"?

If we keep this background in mind, it is hardly a mystery that King Herod, hearing this, was troubled; but the Gospel also says: "and all Jerusalem with him." Why was "all Jerusalem" troubled, with King Herod? One would think that all Jerusalem would be bustling with a holy curiosity; we might have expected the people to answer: "What is this mysterious star that you have seen? How did you know about this? And how do you know that the king of the Jews is really among us? Come, tell us everything, and we shall look with you…"

What is even more astonishing, is that when the Scribes are asked where the Messiah is to be born they actually give the correct answer, Bethlehem, and they even cite an ancient prophecy to prove it: "And thou Bethlehem the land of Juda are not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come forth the captain that shall rule my people Israel." This prophecy was made about eight hundred years before Christ, clearly showing the place of His birth. There is a mystery connected with the name "Bethlehem"; it means "House of Bread" in Hebrew. Later on this same Child, as a fully grown man, would say: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven….if any man shall eat of this bread he shall not die…"

The prophet Micheas continues: "and his going forth is from of old, from the days of eternity." This marvelous continuation points to the eternal generation of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity in the bosom of the Father. Yes, His going forth is "from the days of eternity," because this one whom we are seeking is the Eternal Word, born of the Father before all ages, the same Word that John the Apostle would write about many years later: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…"

When then do the scribes, when asked about the birth-place of Christ, give the correct answer, yet make absolutely no effort to go and see for themselves? It is as if we walked up to a man on the street and said: "Sir, we hear there is a great gold mine around the corner, with an unlimited supply of gold and that anyone may come and take as much as he wishes. Is that true?" What would not our astonishment be if this man answered, "Oh, yes, it's true, just go to the end of the street and take a left," without showing the slightest interest in the gold!

Why this stupefying lack of interest on the part of the scribes? And why is all Jerusalem "troubled" over the coming of Christ? Can it be that they have had their first inkling that this Child is not exactly the Messiah they are expecting? They are looking for a great ruler, to give them victory over the Romans, and all the dainties of the earth, the complete gratification of all their worldly desires.

They are in for a huge disappointment. Many years later, no longer a Child but a fully grown Man, He will tell them: "If any man wishes to follow Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." They expected a Messiah who would say: "Rise up, children of Abraham, let us throw off this yoke of the Romans!" Instead He will tell them: "Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." They were looking for a Messiah to tell them: "Come, children of Israel, let us rejoice and be merry, and celebrate, and enjoy our youth!" Instead, they hear: "Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

No wonder, then, that King Herod is troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. But we, at least, who are striving to find the true Messiah, even with His Cross, let us go in spirit to Bethlehem, where the Child is waiting. And, like the Magi, let us "open our treasures," and from the riches of the Church's liturgical tradition offer this Child something even more precious than gold or incense: rightful theology expressed in hymn and verse!

Last year, this writer had the pleasure of meeting Archbishop Joseph Raya of Galilee, who translated the great hymns composed by saints and Fathers of the Church.* Since these precious gems have been made available to us, we in our turn will share them with you.

"Rejoice, rejoice, Jerusalem; make merry, all you who love Sion: today the bonds of Adam are loosed, and paradise is opened to us. Behold, the Serpent is brought to naught, for long ago he deceived the woman Eve, but now a woman has become Mother of the Creator! Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! The very instrument of sin that had brought death to all flesh becomes today the first-fruits of salvation to the world, through the Mother of God: by her, the all-perfect God has become a Babe, being born without breaking the seal of her virginity. By means of His swaddling clothes, He has loosed the chains of our sins; by His birth as a Child, He has healed the pains and sorrows of Eve. Where let the whole creation exchange glad tidings and rejoice, for Christ has come to renew it and save our souls.

"Magnify, O my soul, the God adored by the Magi, magnify the God Incarnate of the Virgin!

"O little Child lying in a manger, by means of a star, heaven has called and led to You the Magi, the first-fruits of the Gentiles, astounded to behold, not scepters and thrones, but extreme poverty. What, indeed, is lower than a cave? What is humbler than swaddling clothes—and yet the splendor of Your divinity shone forth in them resplendently. O Christ Our God, save our souls!

In the midst of all this just celebrating, it is only fair to point out that the Magi returned home "by another way." Of course this was because of an angel who warned them not to go back to the bloodthirsty Herod. But what does it mean, mystically, to go home "by another way"? It means that if, up to now, we had been walking in the way of vice and injustice, this Child offers us a free pardon but we must return home by another way. If we had before walked according to our own unbridled desires, in injustice, selfishness and vice, now we must return by the new way of justice, chastity and self-denial. The same Child Who offers a free pardon for our past life, can and will give us the grace to embrace this "new way."

Finally—and here we will conclude on our usual joyful note—we should remember that the Gospel account says that the Magi did not simply find the Child, but they found Him "with Mary His Mother." There have always been many enemies of devotion to the Blessed Mother inside and outside the Church, but the true Christians will always be those who have found the Child "with Mary His Mother." St. Louis de Montfort and St. Alphonsus Liguori, who wrote so much about true devotion to Mary, the Eastern Fathers and saints, who praised Our Lady incessantly in hymns and canticles—behold men who knew how to find the Child "with Mary His Mother"! In the last century, St. Bernadette who saw Our Lady at Lourdes, St. Catherine Laboure, who received the revelations about the Miraculous Medal—here again are Christians who found the Child "with Mary His Mother." Finally, in our own day, we might recall the three holy children of Fatima, to whom Our Lady said: "My Immaculate Heart shall be the way which will lead you to God." Later on she appeared with the Child Jesus, and St. Joseph also, begging them, and through them, the whole world, to pray the Rosary and practice self-denial, offering it for sinners and the conversion of Russia. How generously they responded, these heroic children, who were no more than seven years old!**

To the extent that we follow in the footsteps of these holy children, to that extent we shall "find the Child with Mary His Mother," and let us not forget, either, to pay our humblest respects to that other eminently holy man in the cave, the virginal spouse of this admirable Lady. Just as we can always be sure to find the Child, if we have a true devotion to Mary, His Mother, so also we can always find the Mother if we go to Joseph, her holy spouse.

Rejoice, O Mother of God, for it is from you that we await our salvation: O holy Mother of God full of glory, Mother of God and Mother of Christ, carry our prayers to thy beloved Son!

O Woman worthy of all praise, the fruit of thy womb is the perfect fulfillment of the prophets and the law. Wherefore, Mother of God, we glorify you with thanks and exalt you with great devotion.

And now, Blessed Mother of God, open the portals of your deep mercy to those who put their trust in you, so that we may not be put to shame, but through you may be delivered from adversity, for you have brought salvation to the Christian fold!

Come, all you nations, and find the Child with us, put away your idols of riches, comfort and sensuality! The words of the prophets are faithful and true: Christ is born of the Virgin, at Bethlehem of Juda, to save and renew the souls of men.

*. In this part of the world, the Mass is often fully traditional, and is offered in various ancient languages such as Greek and Arabic.

**. The oldest of these children, Lucia dos Santos, was ten years old. She became a nun and is still living in the Carmel of Coimbra, Portugal.