Happy 1st day of Christmas...
The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
We pray you and your loved ones have a Blessed and Festive Christmastide!
May these spiritual reflections and musical selections inspire you to enjoy and treasure the true meaning of the Christmas season…
In the five thousand one hundred and ninety-ninth year of the creation of the world from the time when God in the beginning created the heavens and the earth;
the two thousand nine hundred and fifty-seventh year after the flood;
the two thousand and fifteenth year from the birth of Abraham;
the one thousand five hundred and tenth year from Moses and the going forth of the people of Israel from Egypt;
the one thousand and thirty-second year from David's being anointed king; in the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel;
in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;
the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the foundation of the city of Rome;
the forty second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus;
the whole world being at peace,
in the sixth age of the world, Jesus Christ the eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, and nine months having passed since his conception, was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary, being made flesh.
The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh
Proclamation of the Birth of Christ: The Roman Martyrology
...Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is born in Bethlehem of Juda.
Behold what condescension! It is not in the royal city of Jerusalem, but in Bethlehem, which is the least of the thousands of Juda. O Bethlehem! O little Bethlehem! once little, now magnified by the Lord! He has magnified thee Who, though great, became little in thee…
For doubtless there were in the world noble palaces which He might have judged worthy of His choice palaces where the King of Glory might have been received more honourably; but it was not to purchase them that He came from His royal throne. In his left hand were riches and glory; in His right hand length of days. There was an endless supply of these treasures in heaven, but poverty could not be found there. Earth abounded and superabounded in this kind of merchandise, and men knew not its value. The Son of God was desirous of it. He came down from heaven to make it His own, and so render it precious to us by His choice. Adorn thy bridal-chamber, O Sion, devout soul, but with humility, but with poverty. These are the swathing-bands that please our Infant Jesus; these are the rich robes in which Mary tells us He loves to be clothed…
But see that praise be not wanting. Put on praise and beauty; these are the garments Christ approves of in those who serve Him. The Apostle commends them to you in a few words: "In the heart we believe unto justice; by the mouth is made confession unto salvation.” Let, then, justice be in the heart, the justice which is of faith. This alone has glory before God. Let confession also be in the mouth unto salvation, and you are sure to receive Him Who was born in Bethlehem of Juda, Jesus Christ the Son of God.
-- St. Bernard of Clairvaux
We encourage you to also check out this beautiful substack post from FSSJA speaker, Mike Church at The New Christendom Daily.
You may also want to visit our new initiative, The Guild of St Nicholas of Bari, for inspiration on celebrating the entirety of the Christmas season!
Let us reflect that the Word left Heaven, and stooped to become man for us.
— St Philip Neri