The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas). The assigned readings for the Mass during the day are Isaiah 52:7-10, Hebrews 1:1-6, and John 1:1-18. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 98 (Psalm 98: 1-6).

The Gospel reading is as follows:

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
 He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man's decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father's only Son,
full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
"This was he of whom I said,
'The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.'"
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father's side,
has revealed him. 

Reflections on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Nativity of Jesus Christ (December 25, 2015)

Community in Mission: I Hear Music in the Air! – A Homily for Christmas (24 DEC 14)

The Deacon's Bench: "How Does This Happen to Me?": Homily for December 20, 2015, 4th Sunday of Advent (19 DEC 15)

Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio: The Deeper Meaning of Christmas