Going Up To Bethlehem

WHEN ANTHONY was asked by Cardinal Rinaldo to prepare a series of sermons on the Festivals of the Saints, to go with his series for the Sundays of the Year, he decided to start with the Nativity of the Lord. You may remember that the Sunday cycle began with the remote preparation for Easter at Septuagesima, rather than with Advent as we might expect. This time, however, he wanted to start with the mystery of the Incarnation. There were, in fact, two feasts of Apostles which came in Advent, those of Andrew (November 30) and Thomas (December 21), so once again we see that Anthony was not simply following the order of the Missal.



For the Festivals, Anthony’s approach was to comment first on the Gospel of the day, divided into several sections, and then to offer some thoughts on the Old Testament reading associated with the feast. First, he would apply it directly to the mystery or saint being celebrated, and then he would apply it to the life of the Christian believer.





The Census





The Christmas Gospel is from Saint Luke, telling of the enrolment of the world by order of Caesar Augustus, of the birth of our Saviour at Bethlehem, and of the announcement of this news to the shepherds. Anthony first notes that although, at one level, events were set in motion by the will of the Roman Emperor, from the perspective of eternity they were controlled by the heavenly Emperor, the Creator of all. Earthly rulers offer just a faint reflection of the dignity, glory and nobility of God. Caesar sent out his decree, but every day the decrees of God are sent forth by means of messengers both angelic and human. We are all summoned to take a census of our souls, reviewing all that we have done in the light of God’s holy Law.



Just as the inhabitants of Palestine had to return to their native city to be counted, so we should in spirit return to our origin, and sorrowfully review how far we have wandered from it. This makes a good Advent exercise, prayerfully ‘going up to Bethlehem’ to be counted again among the People of God. Joseph should be our role-model, standing for the ideal believer. Like Joseph, we should go up with Mary, the true Eve, our mother, who always hears the word of God and keeps it. Already the Christ-child is hidden in her womb.





The Saviour’s birth





Bethlehem means ‘house of bread’, and Mary is about to bring forth the Bread of Life. The birth of the Saviour takes place in the fullness of time, at the precise moment God has decreed, and in the manner he has decreed. Mary brings forth her Child, and feeds him with her own milk. Anthony emphasises the contrast between the hidden glory that is really present beneath the poverty and humility of the outward circumstances. He compares the linen bands that wrapped the Holy Infant with those brought by another Joseph to wrap the body of the Crucified.



Finally, Anthony invites us to identify with the shepherds. “We are all shepherds, and our flock is the multitude of our good and simple thoughts and desires.” We are happy if we keep watch over them through the dark watches of the night. There are perils and dangers around us, so we must not sleep. If we watch, we shall hear the message of salvation, the good news of Christ’s birth. We are told how to recognise him: lying in a manger, not in luxury.





He is born in us





After these thoughts on the Gospel, Anthony turns to the great prophecy of Isaiah: “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given...” The childhood of Christ is, in a way, a permanent characteristic of the Saviour. Anthony suggests one element in this, the inability of a child to bear a grudge, its willingness to be reconciled with one who has hurt him. Yet “the government is upon his shoulder”. What Christ bore on his shoulders, in the prime of life, was in fact the Cross. This is the basis for his Kingship. Here our Saint implies that, in his humanity, Christ had to ‘earn’ his kingship. He was, and is, and always will be, King by absolute right, of course; but he makes that right effective in the hearts of human beings by his Passion and Death.



The principles that are demonstrated in the Person of Christ must also be the basis for every Christian life. We have to acquire the child-like nature of Christ (note: there is a big difference between being child-like and being childish). Here again, we must return to our origin. But we share the dignity of being children of God! When we turn from sin and return to God, Christ is re-born in us! We share in the royalty of Christ, but again this is through carrying our own crosses after him.





The Christmas Saints





In his sermons for the saints that follow Christmas – Stephen, John and the Holy innocents – Anthony picks up some of the same themes and introduces new ones. Historically, martyrdom has meant for the Christians the bearing of a witness to peace by the patient endurance of hostility, even death itself. We defeat our enemies only when we succeed in converting them to friends, not by destroying them. Anthony likens Stephen to the six-branched candlestick that stood of old in the Temple. Stephen, like Christ, died praying for those who killed him. He was a light to the world, and so should we be. The little Innocents could not consciously follow Christ, but they remind us that no initiative of ours brings us salvation. It is entirely the work of God, in our Saviour. John, according to tradition, did not shed his blood, but he is remembered as the great Eagle, soaring up in his Gospel to reveal the mysteries of heaven. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. As we contemplate this mystery, we too are carried up to God.