It happened in those days that Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire world.

 

It happened in those days that Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire world. 2 This first census took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 Everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 So Joseph went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And Mary gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields at night, keeping watch over their flock. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid! I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a multitude from the heavenly host was with the angel, singing praises to God, saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased.” Word of Salvation.

We are faced with a beautiful theological text in which we find the meaning of the true Messiah and, at the same time, a profound connection between HIS infancy and His death and resurrection. The central axis of the text is found in Luke 2:11: “… today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” When he mentions the city, he is referring to the fact that it was placed in the lineage of David; Next, he does not deal with any messiah, but with the one who died and rose again, who conquered death and rose again victorious over sin and the ancient Serpent, being the Anointed One and Lord. In other words, Luke wrote already believing in the lordship of Jesus, in His divinity and in His saving mission. Before the evangelist, the childhood, life, death and resurrection of the Son of God were present.

2. In his theological narration, Luke emphasizes the intentions of the powerful, bringing data and historical characters, to justify the objective he outlined in understanding the childhood of the Messiah Savior. Caesar Augustus, Roman emperor, Quirinius, governor of Syria, and the census indicate that the world is interested in wealth and the exploitation of the weakest, through absurd tax rates. In the case of the census, it was a way of not leaving anyone out of the picture of charges. The world has always loved money and what it makes possible. On the other side was the true King, who did not choose the paths traveled by the powerful, but by the little ones and the poor, starting with the choice of the one who became His mother and the one who was called to be His adoptive father. They were poor, simple and humble people. Mary and Joseph shared the same ordinary life as other people; they exercised the same civil obligations; they were as human as everyone else, but with a sublime vocation: to be the parents of the Savior of the world. Mary, the mother par excellence, was the chosen one; Joseph, the adoptive father, chosen as guardian, protector, responsible for Mary and the child, and to give them the Davidic descendants. Each in his own way became the bearer of salvation, of great joy, of the arrival of the Messiah, of the Good News.

3. The Messiah Savior, Emmanuel, the Eternal Son of the Father, the Word of God, was born as a beggar, a pilgrim, an outcast, homeless, landless, without money, without fame, without a strong name, given to him by a family of importance in society. He was born on the road, while His parents were going from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census, and He was placed in a manger; He was born among the poor of all. At His birth, He despised the path of the dominators and exploiters, to stay with the suffering and the miserable; He chose the rejected of a world full of self and sin. A strong example is the announcement of His arrival to the shepherds. His clothing was sashes and not fine linen; His bed was not a golden or even wooden cradle made for that purpose, but an animal trough, a feeding place for the animals. This action of Mary in swaddling her son and placing Him in the manger also reminds us of the final moments of Jesus when He was swaddling clothes to be placed in the tomb. Certainly, His condition indicated that He assumed man in His extreme misery; He wanted to assume man completely. If on the one hand, the Word made flesh acted in this way, on the other, man, through whom the Son of God was incarnated, rejected him, not even giving the Messiah a place to be born; it is known that hotels belong to those who have power in some way; they are not for He who has nowhere to lay His head; furthermore, “human homes” are only suitable for those who play in a similar way.In addition to his parents, his first visitors were some shepherds, some of whom were considered dangerous and despicable. This reminds us of when he was on the cross, surrounded by thieves. At the beginning, he was surrounded by shepherds, and at the end, by thieves. Thus, the beginning of Jesus' life with us is linked to his end here on earth; it is these shepherds who first receive the announcement of salvation, the Good News of God's presence. The thief also received from Jesus the news that paradise was open to him. With this, the text reveals that the Messiah is for the helpless, the rejected, for all those who, despite the suffering imposed by the powerful of the world, still fight with fidelity, love and truth in search of the Kingdom of God.

5. While humanity offered nothing to care for the boy, the angel of God enveloped him with the Light of the Glory of the Lord. Those shepherds represented humanity, fragile, sinful, aimless, disoriented, blind, enslaved to itself and to the bonds of Satan. The glory of God surrounds them and shows them their future, their salvation, when he shows them the Savior, who is not simply an envoy of God, but the Lord himself. God himself came to visit his people; he himself came to be one of us; he himself wanted to speak as equals, as man to man; he wanted to be called brother, friend; he wanted to feel what we feel, our fragility, our limitations, except for that which dehumanizes us, which is sin. He took on everything that is human in order to redeem it.

6. Let us join our voices to the voices of the angels, of the heavenly courts, forming the most beautiful choir that ever existed, to sing today the arrival of our true Lord and Liberator, the Light that shone, shines and will shine forever, Jesus Christ, the “Wonderful Counselor” (wiser than Solomon), “Mighty God” (stronger than David, because He is not a simple man, but God made flesh, 100% God and 100% man), “Father of the ages to come” (the most perfect leader of all times, more confident, more humble and more totally focused on the Father; therefore, more than Moses, the judges and the prophets; He will lead the people to eternal life), “Prince of Peace” (as a gift for humanity, He will lead everyone to justice, understanding, forgiveness and the discovery of the other as a brother and a gift of God. He, also, as the Grace of God manifested in history, bringing salvation, “teaches us to abandon ungodliness and lusts worldly things and to live in this world with balance, justice and piety…”; He rescues us from all evil and purifies us for Himself, making us a people who belong to Him and who must dedicate ourselves to practicing good; He who is “our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (cf. Titus 2:11-14).

A big and affectionate hug.

Merry Christmas!