Christmas Day: Afternoon of the Eve

Christmas-Eve, with its own happy spirit, is drawing to its close. Already has the Church terminated all her Advent Offices, by the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice. In her maternal considerateness, she has permitted her children to break their Fast of preparation for the great Feast, by taking their meal at mid-day. Whilst refreshing their bodies with this repast, to which Abstinence gives merit, the Faithful feel an instinct of gladness, which comes as a harbinger, to tell them of that immense joy, which this beautiful Night will bring them, by giving them their Emmanuel.

But, so great a Solemnity as that of to-morrow, could not possibly be an exception to that usage of the Church, whereby she anticipates all her Feasts on their Eves. In a few moments, the Office of First Vespers, in which is offered to God the evening incense, will call us to the Church, and the splendour of the function, and the magnificence of the chants, will open our hearts to those feelings of love and gratitude, which will prepare them to receive the graces of To-Night.

Let us spend the interval in endeavouring to gain a clear knowledge of the Mystery of our Feast ; and let us get well into ourselves the sentiments and spirit of the Church. We shall be assisted to do both, by considering some of the principal traditions, which attach to this joyful Solemnity.

Let us begin by listening to the Holy Fathers, speaking of Christmas Day, with an eloquence worthy of the Feast. And first, we have St. Gregory the Theologian, Bishop of Nazianzum, who thus opens his thirty-eighth discourse, which is on the Theophania, or Nativity of our Lord.

" Christ is born — glorify him ! Christ comes down " from heaven — go ye forth to meet him ! Christ is " on the earth — be ye lifted up above it ! 0 sing to " the Lord all thou earth !l and to say all in one " word : Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be " glad, because He that is now born is both of " heaven and of earth ! Christ has assumed our Flesh " — exult in fear and in joy ; in fear, because of sin ; " in joy, because of hope ! Christ is born of a Yir- " gin : — women ! honour holy virginity, that you may " become Mothers of Christ !

" Who would not adore Him, that is from the " beginning ? Who would not praise and extol Him, " that is born in time ? Darkoess is at an end ; " Light is created ; Egypt remains in darkness, and " Israel is enlightened by the pillar of fire. The "people that sat in the darkness of ignorance, now " possesses the bright light of knowledge and wis- " dora. The old things are passed away, and lo ! all " things are made new. The letter has given way, " the spirit has triumphed ; shadows have faded, " the reality is come. * * The laws of nature are set " aside ; the world of Heaven is to be peopled ; " Christ commands it — let us obey.

" 0 clap your hands, all ye nations I3 for a Child " is born unto us, and a Son is given unto us. The " emblem of his Government is upon his shoulder, " for his exaltation shall come by the cross ; and his " name shcdl be called the Angel of the Great Counsel, " that is, of the Counsel of his Father.

" Let the Baptist now cry out : Prepare ye the way

1 Ps. xcv. 1. 2 Ibid. 11. 3 Ps. xlvi. 2. 4 Is. ix. 6.

" of the Lord ! I, too, will proclaim trie virtues and " power of this day. He that is without flesh, takes " flesh ; the Word takes a Body; the Unseen is seen; " the Untangible may be touched ; the Eternal has a " beginning ; the Son of God is made the Son of " Man — Jesus Christ, yesterday, and to-day, and the " same for ever. Let the Jew take scandal, and the " Greek mock, and the Heretic prate. They will " believe when they shall see him ascending into " heaven ; and if not even then, at least when they " shall see him coming down from heaven, and seated " on his judgment-seat."

It is hard to hear such thrilling eloquence as this, and remain cold. But let us now give ear to a Father of the Latin Church — the devout St. Bernard — who, in his Sixth Sermon for Christmas Eve, pours forth his heart's joy in these fervent words :

" We have just heard the saying, which is full of " grace, and worthy of all acceptation : Jesus Christ, " the Son of God, is born in Bethlehem of Juda. At " these words, my soul melts with love, yea, and my " spirit, that is within me, burns with impatience to " tell you, as in other years, of this joy, this thril- " ling joy. Jesus means Saviour. And, what so " necessary to them that are lost ? what so welcome " to them that are in misery ? what so precious to " them that are in despair ? Besides, what salvation, " what chance of salvation, was there in the law of " sin, in that body of death, in so evil a day, and in " such a place of affliction — had not a new and un- " looked-for Salvation been born ? Say not, that thou " dost indeed desire salvation, but that, knowing thy " delicacy and the grievousness of thy sickness, thou " fearest lest the cure be violent. No, fear not : this " Jesus is Christ, that is, he is all sweetness ; he is " meek and plenteous in mercy ; he is anointed with

1 Heb. xiii. 8.

" the oil of gladness above his fellows, that is, above " them, who though they receive not the fulness, yet " receive of his fulness. Yet, lest thou shouldst think, " that, because this Jesus is the Anointed with sweet- " ness, he is therefore weak in power, it is added, he " is the Son of God. * * * Let us, then, be exceeding "glad, as we think over within ourselves, or say to " each other, this sweet sentence : Jesus Christ — the " Son of God — is born in Bethlehem of Juda !"

Glorious Day, indeed, is this of the Birth of the Saviour ! It had been looked forward to by the human race, for four thousand years. The Church had prepared for it by the four weeks of her Advent, a Season which has ever such a charm about it. Nature, too, longs for this Day, on which the Sun begins his yearly victory over the dreary reign of wintry darkness. A Holy Doctor of the Syrian Church, St. Ephrem, has written the most admirable words on the beauty and fruitful virtue of this mysterious Day. Let us borrow some of these from him and say them with his enthusiasm.

" Grant, O Lord ! that we may now celebrate this " the Day of thy Birth, which to-day's Solemnity " brings round to us. This Day is like thyself — it is " the friend of mankind. It comes to us in its regu- " lar course, visiting us each year. It grows old with " the old; it is young and fresh with little children. • We remember when we were young, how it came and " passed away ; and here it is again, faithful as ever " in its welcome visit. It knows that nature could " not do without it ; here again like to thee, it comes " in search of our fallen race. The whole earth " thirsts after thy Birth -Day, O Jesus ! It stands, as " it were, between the past and the future, command- " ing all ages, as Thou dost. It is one, and yet it " multiplies itself, as Thou dost. And since we be- " hold thy past Birth-Day in this present Feast, make " the two resemble each other in this also — that as

" thy Birth-Day brought Peace between heaven and " earth, when the infinitely High God descended to " this low earth ; so may this solemnity signify and " give us Peace. * * And truly, if every day of " the year be rich in thy gifts, how much more ought "not this to overflow with them ?

" The other days of the year borrow their beauty " from this, and the other Feasts owe to this all their " solemnity and loveliness. * * Thy Birth-Day, " 0 Jesus ! is a treasure, out of which we all get " wherewith to pay our debts. * * Blessed be the " Day which has brought us back the Sun, after we " had been wandering in the dark night ; which has " brought us the Divine Sheaf, that enriches us with " plentifulness ; which has given us the Vine-Branch, " that is to yield us, in due time, the cup of our salva- " tion. * * In the bosom of that Winter, which " robs our trees of their fruit, the virgin Vine has " given forth its divine growth. In the Season of " frost, which strips our plants of their beauty, the " Boot of Jesse has given us its Bud. It is in De- " cember, which hides the seed sown in the earth, " that the Wheat of our salvation appears from the « Virgin's womb, into which he had entered in that " fresh Spring-time, when the lambkins were skipping " in our meadows."1

It is not, therefore, to be wondered at, if this Day, which, we may say, is an important one even to God himself, has been made a privileged one above those of the rest of the year. We have already seen that the old pagan world paid homage to it, and thus, in their own way, w7ere carrying out the design of God. The Holy Doctors, and the Church herself in her Liturgy, allude continually to the material Sun being the symbol of Him, who is called the Sun of Justice. Then, again, there is the venerable tradition, which

1 Third Sermon On our Lord's Nativity. tells us, that the Incarnation of the Son of God having been accomplished on a Friday, (March 25,) the Birth of Jesus, the Light of the world, must have taken place on the 25th of December, a Sunday. This gives a peculiar sacredness to Christmas Day when it falls on a Sunday, as it was on that day of the week that God began the Creation, and said : Let there be Light ! and on the same, also, did our Lord rise from the tomb. St. Sophronius of Jerusalem has beautifully treated this mystery in his 1st Homily for Christmas Day.

In order to impress the nations of Europe, that is, of the favoured portion of the Church, with the importance of this ever blessed Day, God, who is the Sovereign Ruler of all things, has willed that on it should happen certain events of intense interest. We will select three of these. To begin with the first in order of time : — it was on a Christmas Day, that was founded the Kingdom of the Franks ; for, it was on this glorious Solemnity, that King Clovis was baptised at Kheims by St. Remigius. The haughty Sicambrian, thus admitted into the Fold of Christ, became a meek and humble Christian, and the founder of the first Catholic monarchy, which is now the Kingdom of France.

A century later, that is in the year 596, our own dearest country was converted to the true faith by the labours of St. Augustine, of whom St. Gregory the Great, who sent him, says : " he was a Monk of my Monastery."1 This holy Missionary had baptised King Ethelbert, and travelled through the land, preaching everywhere the name and Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Having reached York, he preached the word of Eternal Life to the people, and when he had ended, they seek baptism from his hands. Christmas Day is fixed upon for the regenera-

1 Lib. 7, Ep. 30. tion of the Catechumens, and the River which flows through the City, is chosen as the Baptismal Font. Ten thousand men, not counting women and children, go down into this stream, whose waters were to cleanse their souls. The severity of the season is unheeded by these fervent disciples of the Babe of Bethlehem, who, but a few days before, knew not so much as his Name. From the frozen waters, there comes, full of joy sfa^unaogtepce, the long line of Neophytes; and the Birth-Ojay of Jesus counts, that year, one nation more as belonging to his Kingdom.

Three hundred years after this, God gives us another glorious event in honour of the Birth-Day of his Son. It was on this divine Anniversary, in the year 800, and at Rome, in the Basilica of St. Peter, that was created the Holy Roman Empire, to which God assigned the grand mission of propagating the Kingdom of Christ among the barbarian nations of the North, and of upholding, under the direction of the Sovereign Pontiffs, the confederation and unity of Europe. St. Leo III. crowned Charlemagne Emperor. Here, then, was a new Caesar, a new Augustus, on the earth ; not, indeed, a successor of those ancient Lords of Pagan Rome, but one who was invested with the title and power by the Yicar of Him, who is called, in the Sacred Scriptures, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

Thus has God glorified, in the eyes of men, the Divine Babe who is this day born : thus has he prepared, at various times, worthy anniversaries of that Birth which gave glory to God and Peace to men. Time will reveal, in what other ways the Most High still wishes to magnify, upon this Twenty-Fifth of December, Himself and his Christ.

Impressed with the extreme importance of this Feast, and justly looking upon it as the beginning of the Era of the world's regeneration, the Nations of the West, for a long time, began their year with Christmas Day, as we find in the ancient Calendars, in the Martyrologies of Usuard and Ado, and in numberless Bulls, Charts, and Diplomas. It is evident, from a Council held at Cologne, in 1310, that this manner of computing the year was still observed at that time. In several countries of Europe, our own among the rest, the custom has been kept up of wishing a HajJpy Christmas, which was the ancient salutation when this Feast was the beginning of a new year. Hence, too, in these countries, the custom of making presents, of writing letters of good wishes, and of other friendly acts. How many of our practices of every-day life have originated from Faith, and yet are looked upon as mere consequences of natural good-feeling, or even compliments which society requires us to pay to each other !

To encourage her children in their Christmas joy, the Church has dispensed with the law of abstinence, if this Feast fall on a Friday. This dispensation was granted by Pope Honorius III., who ascended the Papal Throne in 1216. It is true, that we find it mentioned by Pope St. Nicholas I., in the 9th century ; but the dispensation was not universal ; for the Pontiff is replying to the consultations of the Bulgarians, to whom he concedes this indulgence, in order to encourage them to celebrate these Feasts with solemnity and joy: Christmas Day, St. Stephen, St. John the Evangelist, the Epiphany, the Assumption of our Lady, St. John the Baptist, and Saints Peter and Paul. When the dispensation for Christmas Day was extended to the whole Church, these other Feasts were not mentioned.

In the Middle Ages, the Civil Law, also, contributed to the people's love of Christmas, by enacting, that no Creditor could demand any payment from his Debtors during the entire week of Christmas, which was called, on that account, the week of remis- sion — a name which it had in common with the weeks of Easter and Pentecost.

But, let us interrupt these interesting details regarding the grand Solemnity, whose near approach makes our hearts throb with joy. Let us repair to the House of our Heavenly Father, for the Hour of Vespers is near ; and on our way, let our thoughts be at Bethlehem, where Joseph and Mary are already arrived. The sun is rapidly setting ; and our Divine Sun of Justice is still hid beneath the Cloud, the Womb of the purest of Virgins. Night is coming on ; Joseph and Mary are going through the narrow streets of the City of David, seeking a shelter. Let our hearts be attentive, and united, in love, with the two holy Pilgrims. Every heart and voice should now be giving forth to our God the tribute of praise and grateful love. Oh ! happy we, that have a tribute of Song and Psalmody ready for our use, worthy of the Day and of its ineffable Mystery — it is our Mother that offers us her Liturgy. Let us prepare to join her.

FIRST VESPERS.

After the usual invocation of the divine assistance, the Church intones, in a most solemn chant, the five following Antiphons, which precede as many Psalms.

1. Ant. Rex pacificus 1. Ant. The King of Peace, magnificatus est, cnjus vul- whom the whole earth desitumdesideratuniversa terra, reth to see, hath shown his greatness.

Psalm : Dixit Dominus, page 99.

CHRISTMAS DAY : FIRST VESPERS.

2. Ant. The King of Peace is magnified above all the Kings of the earth.

3. Ant. Magnificatus est Hex pacificus super omnes reges universse terrse.

Psalm : Confitebor tibi, page 100.

3. Ant. The days were completed for Mary, that she should bring forth her first-born Son.

Psalm : Beatus vir, page 101.

3. Ant. Impleti sunt dies Marise, ut pareret Filium suum primogenitum.

4. Ant. Ant. Scitote quia prope est regnum Dei : amen dico vobis quia non tarda-

Know ye, that the 4. Kingdom of God is at hand ; amen I say unto you, it shall not tarry. bit.

Psalm : Laudate pueri, page 102.

5. Ant. Raise up your heads : lo ! your redemption is at hand.

6. Ant. Levate capita vestra; ecce appropinquat redemptio vestra.

PSALM

0 ! praise the Lord, all ye nations : praise him, all ye people.

For his mercy is confirmed upon us, and the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever.

Laudate Dominum omnes gentes : * laudate eum, omnes populi.

Quoniam confirmata est super nos misericordia ejus : * et Veritas Domini manet in seternum.

After having extolled, in these divine canticles, the eternal generation, the fidelity, the mercy, the greatness, and the truth, of her divine Spouse, who is coming, and in a few short hours will show himself

K to her — the Church suspends her praise for a moment, and listens, in the Capitulum, to the consoling words of the Apostle of the Gentiles, concerning the coming of God our Saviour.

CAPITULUM.

(Tit. iii. 4.)

Appamit benignitas et humanitas Salvatoris nostri Dei, non ex operibus justitise quae fecimus nos, sed secundum misericordiam suam salvos nos fecit.

The goodness and kindness of God our Saviour hath appeared ; not by the works of justice, which we have done, but according to his mercy, hath he saved us.

Encouraged afresh by these beautiful words, the Church resumes her praises, not borrowing, this time, the psalmody of the Royal Prophet, but singing a Hymn to Jesus, her Spouse, on the glory and beauty of his Birth-Day, which makes all Nature glad, and brings the sweetest joy of heart to such as know how to love the Divine Babe. It was St. Ambrose — the Bee of Milan, as he has been called — who composed this Hymn, which is sung, to-day, in almost every part of the world.

HYMN.*

Jesu, redemptor omnium, Quern, lucis ante origin em, Parem paternse glorise Pater supremus edidit ;

O Jesu ! Eedeemer of mankind ! born before the light was made, and born of the Eternal Father, equal to him in infinite glory ;

• In the Monastic Breviary, it is as follows :

R. Breve. Hodie scietis, * quia veniet Dominus. Hodie. V. Et mane videbitis gloriam ejus. * Quia. Gloria. Hodie.

In 2nd Vespers.

R. Breve. Verbum caro factum est, * Alleluia, Alleluia.

Verbum. V. Et habitavit in nobis. * Alleluia. Gloria. Verbum.

Christe, Redemptor omnium, Ex Patre Patris Unice, Solus ante principium Katus ineffabiliter.

CHKISTMAS DAY : FIRST VESPERS.

0 thou the Light and brightness of the Father ! O thou the everlasting hope of all men ! hear the prayers offered thee by thy servants, throughout the world.

Be mindful, O Creator of all things ! that heretofore thou didst assume a Body like unto ours, and wast born from the sacred womb of a Virgin. This present day, which the year has brought round to us, tells us of this mystery — that thou, the one Saviour of the world, didst come to us from the Father's Bosom.

The stars, and earth, and sea, and all that is under heaven greet this the Author of their new salvation, with a new canticle.

And we, who have been redeemed by the stream of thy precious Blood, we, too, pay thee the tribute of this Hymn, in honour of thy Birth-Day.

Glory be to thee, 0 Jesus ! who wast born of the Virgin ! and to the Father, and to the Spirit of love, for everlasting ages. Amen.

Tu lumen et splendor Patris, Tu spes perennis omnium, Intende quasfundunt preces Tui per orbem servuli.

Memento, rerumconditor, JSTostri quod olim corporis, Sacrata ab alvo Virginis Nascendo, formam sumpseris.

Testatur hoc prsesens dies, Currens per anni circulum, Quod solus e sinu Patris Mundi salus adveneris.

Hunc astra, tellus, sequora, Hunc omne quod ccelo sub- est, Salutis auctorem novse Novo salutat cantico.

Et nos, beata quos sacri Bigavit unda sanguinis, Natalis ob diem tui, Hymni tributum solvimus.

Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui natus es de Virgine, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna ssecula.

Amen.

Tu lumen, tu splendor Patris, Tu spes perennis omnium, Intende quas funduut preces Tui per orbem famuli.

Memento salutis Auctor Quod nostri quondam corporis Ex illibata Virgine Nascendo formam sumpseris.

Sic prsesens testatur dies, Currens per anni circulum, Quod solus a sede Patris Mundi salus adveneris.

Hunc coelum, terra, hunc mare, Hunc omne quod in eis est, Auctorem adventus tui Laudans exsulfcat cantico.

Nos quoque qui sancto tuo Redempti Sanguine sumus, Ob diem Natalis tui Hymnum novum concinimus.

Gloria tibi Domine, Qui natus es de Virgine Cum Patre et Sancto Spiritu, In sempiterna ssecula.

Amen.

$". Crastina die delebitur "ft. To-morrow, the iniquity iniquitas terrae ; of the earth shall be cancelled ;

I£. Et regnabit super nos 1^. And over us shall reign

Salvator mundi. the Saviour of the world.

And now, Mary's own words are to resound in the holy place ! The sweet Canticle, which she sang at her Visitation to Elizabeth, when, holding within herself the divine and secret Treasure, she celebrated the great things of God's power in her — this Canticle, without which the Church never lets the sun go down, is now going to be sung. O Mary ! the hour is fast approaching, which will manifest to both heaven and earth, that divine Maternity of thine, which will make all generations call thee Blessed. Suffer us to unite our souls with thine in magnifying the Lord, and to rejoice in our spirit, as thou didst in thine, in God our Saviour, who is thy Son !

ANTIPHOJST OF THE MAGNIFICAT.

Cum ortus fuerit sol de When the sun shall have coelo, videbitis Regem re- risen in the heavens, ye shall gum procedentem a Patre, see the King of Kings coming tanquam sponsum de tha- from the Father, as a Bride- lamo suo. groom from his bride-chamber.

TJie Canticle, Magnificat, page 107.

Finally, the Church expresses all her desires in the following Prayer, which is to ascend to the Throne of God, not only at every Hour of Christmas Day, but several times each day during the Octave.

COLLECT.

Concede, qusesumus, om- Grant, we beseech thee, O nipotens Deus : ut nos Uni- Almighty God, that we who geniti tui nova per carnem groan under the old captivity nativitas liberet, quos sub of sin, may be freed therefrom peccati jugo vetusta servi- by the new Birth of thine tus tenet. Per eumdem Do- Only Begotten Son. Through minum nostrum Jesum the same Jesus Christ thy

Son, our Lord, who liveth and Christum Filium tuum, qui reigneth with thee, in the tecum vivit et regnat in unity of the Holy Ghost, God, imitate SpiritusSanctiDeus world without end. Amen. per omnia ssecula saeculo

3cula saeculo rum. Amen.

During our Vespers, the last rays of day have disappeared, and darkness has covered the earth. The Sacred Ministers, vested in their richest copes, have left the Sanctuary. In a few moments they will reenter the Church, and repair to the Tribunal of Penance, there to administer to penitent sinners the reconciliation they ask of God through the merciful Birth of his Only Begotten Son. All is solemn silence in the Church, which, but a few moments before, echoed with the glad chants of our praise. Let us adore the Majesty of our God, and once more present our prayer to the King of Ages, that he send down the Dew, for which our earth is thirsting ; and with this prayer of our hope, let us, for a last time, mingle a thought of that salutary fear of the Last Judgment, which the Church has nurtured within our souls during the holy Season of Advent.

Let us embody these sentiments in a Prayer, taken from the Gothic, or Mozarabic, Liturgy : it is a beautiful one, and most appropriate :

PRAYER FROM THE MOZARABIC BREVIARY.

(For the Nativity of our Lord, in the Evening Office, Capitula.)

Drop down Dew, ye heavens, Rorate cceli desuper, uti- from above — by prophesying que prophetando Christum,

Jesus to our earth ; and let the et nubes pluant justum ; clouds rain the Just One — let dum Sancti omnes ejus prse- all the saintly prophets herald conanturadventum. Aperia- his coming. Let the earth be tur terra, ut, Angelo scilicet opened, that, as the Angel is alloquente, Virgo concipiat, speaking unto her, the Virgin et pariat Salvatorem. Hie may conceive and bring forth igitur ros, qui abs te est, the Saviour. We pray and omnipotens Pater, roga- we beseech thee, 0 Almighty mus, et petimus, ut fiat

Father, let this JDnv, which comes down from thee, give health to the sick ; and this Rain of morn, let it sink into the parched soil of our times, and, by the infusion of its abundant grace, cleanse away past sins, and shed, over them that believe, the eternal light of justice. Moreover, may we, looking with confidence at the presence of our Lord Jesus thy Son, and joyfully going to meet him in company with the heavenly citizens, sing to him this canticle of joy and prayer : Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: The Lord, is God, and he hath shone upon us : his Coming hath redeemed us, and his Nativity hath enlightened us : He that came looking for the lost ones, hath given light to them that sat in darkness. Grant unto us, therefore, O Almighty Father, so most devoutly to celebrate the Day of his Birth, as that the Day of his Judgment may be to us a day of exceeding mercy : that thus, having felt how great is his goodness in redeeming, we may experience how gentle is his mercy in judging us.

And now, we will leave the House of God, and attend to the duties of our state of life at home, until the hour of Matins summons us to return and celebrate the Midnight Birth of our Saviour. In order to prepare ourselves for that most imposing Service, we shall do well to resume the reflections upon the Liturgy of our Feast, which wre interrupted in order to assist at Vespers. How few would keep from the Service of sanitas infirmorum ; et hgec pluvia matutini temporis, prsebe, nostri temporis infundat arentem, quse infusa tanta gratia prseteritum facinus abluat, et seternum credentibus justitia? lumen infundat ; nee non ejusdem Filii tui Domini nostri indemnes prsesentiam contuentes, atque cum ccelicolis ccetui ejus in jubilo occurrentes, hoc canticum laetitise praecinamus orantes : Benedictus, qui venit in nomine Domini, Deus Dominus, et illuxit nobis ; cujus nos adventus redemit, et Nativitas illustravit : Qui veniens requisivit perditos, illuminavit in tenebris constitutes. Tribue ergo omnipotens Pater, ut diem ISTativitatis ejus ita devotione piissima celebremus, ut judicii diem mitissimum sentiamus : ut cujus benignitatem in redemptione cognovimus, ejus pietatem in judicio mansuetam sentiamus.