COME LET US WORSHIP THE KING!

“And evidently great is the mystery of godliness, which was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the spirit, appeared unto angels, hath been preached unto the Gentiles, is believed in the world, is taken up into heaven.” [ 1 Timothy 3:16, Douay – Rheims Bible]

“For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.” [ Isaiah 9:6 Douay – Rheims Bible]

“COME LET US WORHSIP THE CHILD-KING!”

By Herbert B. Rosana, Ph.D.

            I am sure that in many Christmas messages today in the churches we shall hear homilies about the social relevance of Christmas, and I find it sad that only few talks about the deeper, spiritual and personal meaning of Christmas.  I am of the opinion that talking about the social relevance of Christmas would not mean anything if people are not converted or are not spiritually awake.  But to a spiritually enlightened individual charity comes as a natural consequence. This is the flaw in our modern approach to evangelization.  Too much of liberation theology spoils the real purpose and meaning of the gospel.  For if the gospel of Christ were merely liberation from tyrannical governments or oppressive social structures, then there would be no need for Christ and His message because there are enough ideologies on the ground on this.  But the gospel of Christ is beyond this world because it assures the believers the hope that this world cannot give.  Before the judgement seat of Pilate and the chief priests of the Jews, Jesus gave the testimony that His Kingdom is not of this world, otherwise His servants would have taken the sword to protect Him.  But the message of Christ is that of Transcendence.  Transcending the temporalities of human history.  This is precisely the meaning of what Jesus said in the Book of Revelations that He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end, if just to express in temporal language the nature of eternity.  This transcendence was further strengthened by the statement of Jesus when he rebuked the Jews for believing that the Kingdom of God would descend from heaven or would appear here and there at an instant.  Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is “within you [us”.  For it is with the word that the faith is preached unto us and it is with our mind and soul that we comprehend the transcendental and eschatological meaning of God’s Kingdom.

 

As the Magi from the East came bearing gifts that symbolizes the Ministry of Christ we too must come before Him bearing the very gift of ourselves, a humble and contrite heart that God will not despise.

            What does it mean then to worship the King?  The Child-king on a golden crib? No but a Child-King on a lowly manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes.  Why Christ did chose to be born in a manger and in a stable?  Why shepherds? And why in the most abject episode in the history of Israel [reeling under the burden of Roman occupation, ruled by an Idumean-Herod the Great who oppressed God’s people?]?  God works in marvellous ways and only the evidence of history and passage of time helps us understand the Will of God at work.  Often it is in the most pitiable condition that God always comes to the rescue.  It is in our weakness that God manifests His saving grace, this to demonstrate to us that He is powerful and is able to save. This experience is shared by almost every Christian who sincerely follows in the footsteps of Jesus.  St. Paul aptly expressed this point when he said, “For which cause I please myself in my infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ.  For when I am weak, then I am powerful.” [2 Corinthians 12:20, Douay – Rheims Bible].

The Holy Mass is the culmination of 

this homage

            To render homage to this Child-King, we need to see beyond the peripheries and draw the real meaning out of this.  This is the reason why we consider the Holy Mass a celebration of the paschal mystery for therein we celebrate the mystery of the saving work of Christ.  That is why Christmas is called Christmas because it is the mass of Christ.  Christ the bread of life (Bethlehem means the house of bread), was born in a manger, the place where sheep feed themselves.  For we as the sheep in God’s flock must feed on the living bread which is Jesus Christ.  Jesus said to the Jews, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven.  If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever, and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, for the life of the world.” (John 6:51, Douay – Rheims Bible).  This concept of eating bread is emphasized not only during Christmas but even in the last supper rites performed by our Lord.  That is why for me the Holy Mass is the most important form of worship because in a capsule our whole being is transported into the whole history of the paschal mystery of the Lord.  As if in a timeless capsule the whole ensemble of the history of salvation is captured in an instant.  For when the priest holds the bread – ‘This is Jesus the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Happy are we are called unto this supper’ and we reply “ Lord I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but only way your word and my soul shall be healed.”  For as we accept and eat of this bread, we see the Child Jesus in the manger, we eat and partake of this bread of life, the pledge of salvation and the door of paradise opened up again for us.  Jesus in this mystery lifts the veil of the temple, he removes the fiery sword of the angel from the door of paradise and it is this bread that unites us to all the things that God has promised. 

 

The Celebration of the Paschal Mystery provides a point of convergence for the transcendent nature of our Faith

            Contemplating on these sacred mysteries, are we not moved in awe to pay attention in the Mass, to interiorly and outwardly participate?  People often misinterpret active participation to mean that everyone must do something.  Conscious of these sacred mysteries and our ability to transcend by faith the meaning of the paschal mystery of Christ will move us to a more prayerful participation in the mass.  Even as we sit and participate in the responses and acclamation, we consciously and actively participate.  Every mass will always be a Christmas and Easter as well.  For me every Mass is a Christmas and what better way to worship the Child-King than to bring our selves the gift/present, not of gold and riches but our humble hearts who seek the Lord in all sincerity and is willing to receive the promise.  May this Christmas Brings us Hope.  May Christ move us to love Him in a more personal way so that charity and justice may radiate from our hearts to others.  Merry Christmas to all of us.