For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, Upon David’s throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains By judgment and justice, both now and forever. (Isaiah, 9:5-6)
As we celebrate this Christmas season and once again hear the marvelous good news of Christ’s birth proclaimed, most of us have become very familiar with the Christmas story and the events and circumstances that surround the nativity of Christ. But what do these stories and events really reveal to us? You might be surprised how much meaning is really contained within these simple and beautiful passages of Scripture. For as Blessed Pope John Paul II recalled: “In the mystery of Christmas, the paschal mystery is already present. Jesus comes into the world to fulfill his mission of salvation which will culminate in his crucifixion and in the extraordinary event of his Resurrection” (Angelus Message, Dec. 26, 1996). With this in mind I would like to highlight some of the most important symbolism and meaning surrounding Christ’s birth that reveal to us the Father’s plan of salvation that will unfold in the life and mission of this amazing Christ-child:
Bethlehem: The fact that Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem is of great meaning and importance. First, it was foretold by the prophet Micah that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, the birthplace of David:
But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah too small to be among the clans of Judah, From you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; Whose origin is from of old, from ancient times…He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock by the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD, his God; And they shall remain, for now his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; he shall be peace.
— Micah 5:2-4
The name Bethlehem also has significant meaning concerning the mission of Christ. In Hebrew, it means “house of bread” which is a foreshadowing of Christ who will become for all of us through his death and Resurrection the “bread of life” in the Eucharist. Jesus comes into the world to give himself and his Body and Blood as the true food and drink for the world so that all may have life and have it in abundance.
The Rejection at the Inn: The fact that Mary and Joseph were rejected at the inn because “there was no room” is also a foreshadowing of the future rejection of Christ as the Messiah by the House of David that leads to his crucifixion and death. The rejection at the inn is also symbolic of humanity having no room for God in their hearts due to sin from which Christ comes to free us.
The Swaddling Clothes: After his birth, Mary wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes. All of us who are parents know that is still very much the norm to wrap a baby in a blanket or a cloth to keep him or her warm and safe. But why does Luke go out of his way to mention such a normal and seemingly insignificant practice? In the Jewish/Semitic culture, the baby was wrapped very tightly in a cloth not only to be kept warm and safe, but to also give them good posture. This wrapping in swaddling clothes was a very tight wrapping with a thin cloth, a little different from how we do things today. However, for Luke, Jesus being wrapped in a cloth at his birth is already a foreshadowing of his death and burial, when Christ would once again be tightly wrapped in his burial shroud in the tomb. Thus, even at Christ’s first coming into the world, his ultimate mission of reconciling the world to God through his blood on the cross is already being revealed and foreshadowed.
The Manger: Christ was not laid in a crib or a bed, but was placed in a manger in the stable. A manger is a feeding trough for animals that held hay or other food. Again we have the Eucharistic theme: Jesus who is the “true bread that comes down from heaven” is born in the city named the “house of bread” and is born into a manger which feeds the flocks of the shepherd. Thus, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who gives his life so that he may feed his flock and give them eternal life.
The Shepherds in the Field: This extraordinary event of the angels of heaven appearing to the shepherds in the field and announcing the good news of Christ’s birth is a foreshadowing of the Church, to which Christ the Good Shepherd would entrust the good news of salvation: to his shepherds, the successors of the apostles, to be the living and visible instrument of salvation until the end of time.
Thus, Christmas reveals to us not only the birth of the Savior, but in the fullness of time also reveals the Paschal mystery of Christ and the salvation that will be won for us through the death and Resurrection of Christ, and his Real Presence in the Eucharist that will remain with us and be our true spiritual food until the end of time.
Christmas also a time in which we once again are called to contemplate the face of Christ, in particular the face of the infant Jesus who loves us with a pure and unconditional love that is so simple yet so profound. Christmas certainly seems to bring out the child in all of us, and it should also bring about the simple child-like faith that we are all called to have. It is so easy in our complicated world to even complicate our spiritual life and relationship with God. During this holy season of Christmas, I am always reminded of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who was a young Carmelite nun who lived in the last part of the 19th century. St. Thérèse had a very special devotion to the child Jesus, and she lived such a simple life of spirituality and love. Her spirituality was called the “little way,” and it consisted of daily offering to God simple acts of love and sacrifice that blossomed into a profound and burning love for God and neighbor. Thérèse embodied in her life and spirituality the simple love of God that is revealed to us by the infant Jesus at Christmas. This love and spirituality is beautifully articulated in her autobiography The Story of a Soul which is a must read for any Catholic and would be particularly great reading during the season of Christmas. St. Thérèse was truly a child before God, and her spirituality was so profound that Blessed Pope John Paul II proclaimed her a Doctor of the Church in 1997 saying:
One can say with conviction about Thérèse of Lisieux that the Spirit of God allowed her heart to reveal directly to the people of our time the fundamental mystery, the reality of the Gospel.... Her 'little way' is the way of 'holy childhood'. There is something unique in this way, the genius of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. At the same time there is the confirmation and renewal of the most basic and most universal truth. What truth of the Gospel message is really more basic and more universal than this: God is our Father and we are his children?"
— Apostolic Letter, The Science of Divine Love
May we, through the intercession of St. Thérèse, receive the grace to contemplate anew in our hearts the face of the infant Jesus and through his great love and mercy revealed in the Incarnation rediscover in our own lives our “holy childhood” before our heavenly Father as we celebrate the holy night of Christ’s birth:
Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.
Merry Christmas!
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