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2. The Birth of
Jesus.
But in what palace or
little church will the Son of Mary be born? Who will make him a cradle
of cedar wood and decorate it with golden flowers?
The Roman Emperor Augustus issued an order that all the inhabitants of
the country should be counted and written down. Everyone had to present
himself in the place of his home and origin so that he could be recorded
there. So Joseph went with Mary, his trusted wife, from Nazareth, their
place of residence, to Bethlehem in Judah, because they were of the
family of David, so that he could be registered. Many people may have
come to Bethlehem at that time, and there was little room in the little
town. But when Mary was there, she gave birth to her son and found no
place to lay him but in a manger. This was the palace in which the child
was born who was to save his people from their sins. For God does not
look at the details.
That night there were shepherds in the field by the hurdles, tending
their flocks. The angel of the Lord came to them, and his clarity shone
around them. The angel said: ‘I proclaim to you great joy, which will
come to all the people. For behold, the Saviour is born to you today,
who is Christ the Lord in the city of David.
And have this as a sign: you will find the child wrapped in swaddling
clothes and lying in a manger.’ And the multitude of the heavenly host
gathered around them, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the
highest, peace on earth, and good will toward men.’ - They may well have
been the same shepherds in whose property the child was born - The
shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph and the child
lying in the manger. Then they praised God and told what had been said
to them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed. But Mary
kept all these words and pondered them in her heart.
This is the holy Christmas night or Christmas, in which God gives
children beautiful gifts so that they may rejoice every year on their
return and love the little child who was born that night in Bethlehem. -
Many a child wants to ask: is this the promised one? Yes, he is the
promised one, in whom all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
The child's name was called Jesus, which he received from the angels,
and is called the Saviour, because he was destined by God to be the
Saviour and Saviour of mankind.
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