d is the celebration of Christmas. Now I have to say the older I get, the less excited I become over Christmas. But from a liturgical and theological point it is a most important feast.These last few days of Advent dissect the entire feast. The birth narrative is read slowly each day, pray, fasting, and reconciliation are strongly encouraged. We are preparing for a day and for a transformation. At Evening prayer we use the O Antiphons. We can chant these at Mass too. Our best contact with these is in the song, O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
The Antiphons highlight the titles of the Messiah. So each day we chant a distinct title: O Wisdom, O Lord, O Root of Jesse, O Key of David, O Rising Sun, O King of the Nations, and O Emmanuel. This context helps us who pray in this manner to focus more deeply on the mystery we are about to celebrate. It is in particularly important at this celebration which can become watered down in the social and cultural hype. God redeems humanity and changes our lives forever.
St Thomas Aquinas says that this is really the best way that God can bring us salvation and peace. Through the coming of an infant we can reflect on the fact that we are in need of development, love, care, and compassion in order to achieve our potential. God loves us more than we can imagine. St. John will remind us that he loved us so much that he took on our human nature.
This feast also helps us to contemplate that in the Incarnation God blesses, and even affirms, human flesh. Our human nature can cause us all sorts of hardships, difficulties, and sadness. Our experience of God through Jesus Christ helps us to remember the love and the mercy which God holds out for us. We just have to say 'Yes."
As we behold the child Jesus, we remember all of the Christological titles, and most importantly that he is Emmanuel, God with us.
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