ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE RELEASE
Hartbeat
Christmas: grace, faith and evangelisation
Monday 17 December 2012
By Archbishop Denis Hart
“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’”
(Luke 2:10)
THE word ‘angel’ simply means ‘messenger’ or ‘bringer of news’. By proclaiming the ‘good news’ (the evangel or gospel) to the shepherds, the Christmas angel became the first evangelist. For all who believe the angel’s message, this ‘good news’ is a source of grace and joy.
If we look at the familiar nativity scene in our homes and churches, we see that every person in that scene is there because: 1) they heard the ‘good news’ of the birth of Jesus; 2) they experienced God’s grace; and 3) they came to believe the ‘good news’. And just as we do not leave our nativity scenes set up as a permanent shrine throughout the year, neither did the original inhabitants of the scene remain in the stable; they went out and proclaimed the ‘good news’ of Jesus’ birth to others.
The ‘good news’ of the birth of the long-awaited Messiah came first to Mary, nine months before the event itself. But was the message, when Mary first heard it, ‘good news’ for her? As wonderful as it was, the news that she had conceived a son put Mary’s future—and perhaps even her life—in danger. Mary knew that she had not been unfaithful to Joseph (to whom she was betrothed), but what would others think? And how was it even possible to have a child when she “did not know a man”? (Luke 1:34)
Since she was God’s chosen one, the angel knew that she had a right to an answer: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). And Mary believed the angel. She had faith.
Above all other human beings who have ever lived, even Abraham (who himself had received the unexpected news that he would have a son in his old age), Mary is our model for faith. And yet it was only God’s grace that could have led her to have such faith: grace which had prepared her for this moment since her own conception. As the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council taught, Mary “was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role” (Lumen Gentium 56). This is why we imitate the angel and call her ‘full of grace’.
After she received the ‘good news’ through grace and in faith, Mary herself became a messenger of the ‘good news’. She immediately went up to visit her cousin Elizabeth. When Elizabeth greeted her, Mary proclaimed: “My soul magnifies the Lord, … for he who is mighty has done great things for me” (Luke 1:46, 49). Then Elizabeth became the first person to call Mary ‘Blessed’. She said: “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Luke 1:45). Again, it is her faith which is extolled. We call Mary the Blessed Virgin not primarily because she was chosen to be the mother of the Lord, but because of her faith!
God’s messengers, the angels, were at the same time busy preparing Joseph to receive the ‘good news’ in faith. He was understandably troubled and confused by Mary’s pregnancy. “But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit’.” (Matthew 1:20) And here again we see the miracle of grace, for Joseph also believed the angel. And he too became a messenger of the Gospel, because he was the one who gave the child the name ‘Jesus’. It is in this name that we have proclaimed the ‘good news’ ever since: ‘Jesus’ is the ‘Saviour’, who “will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21, 25).
So, it was in faith, as a result of grace and in response to the evangelising messengers of God, that Mary and Joseph made their way to Bethlehem at the time of the census. And there too were people ready to be evangelised: not the great and mighty of the land, but the poor who looked for the Kingdom of God.
Again, the evangelist is an angel. But what an unlikely group to choose for the first converts to the Gospel: “Simple shepherds were the first witnesses to this event. In this poverty heaven’s glory was made manifest” (Catechism 525). What had they done to deserve this revelation? Nothing. Poor as they were, they received the ‘good news’ of the angel as pure grace. And more remarkable still is that they believed the angel’s message and acted upon it.
First, they encouraged one another to action: “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us” (Luke 2:15). Like the disciples who left their fishing boats and tax collecting tables, they left their sheep in the fields and “went with haste” (Luke 2:16) to find the baby. How did they find Mary and Joseph among so many people in Bethlehem that night? They demonstrated the truth of Jesus’ teaching: “Seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9). God gave them the faith to seek him; he also gave them the grace to find him.
How long did they search for Jesus? We do not know. We are simply told that they “found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16). Nor did the night end there, because now the first to be evangelised become the first evangelisers: “They made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them” (Luke 2:17).
Angels, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, the shepherds—we could continue on through the whole story of the Gospel. We could include the Wise Men, who received the ‘good news’ through signs in God’s own creation. We could include Simeon and Anna, who were waiting for the fulfilment of God’s promises in the Temple. We could go on and on right up to our own time and to ourselves as we embark on the New Evangelisation in this Year of Faith and Year of Grace.
This Christmas, as you pause before the nativity scene for prayer and reflection, remember that, like each character in that scene, you also are called to hear the Gospel, to believe it with the help of God’s grace, and then to go out and become witnesses to this “good news of great joy … to all the people” of the world. ARCHBISHOP HART
By Archbishop Denis Hart
“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’”(Luke 2:10)
THE word ‘angel’ simply means ‘messenger’ or ‘bringer of news’. By proclaiming the ‘good news’ (the evangel or gospel) to the shepherds, the Christmas angel became the first evangelist. For all who believe the angel’s message, this ‘good news’ is a source of grace and joy.
If we look at the familiar nativity scene in our homes and churches, we see that every person in that scene is there because: 1) they heard the ‘good news’ of the birth of Jesus; 2) they experienced God’s grace; and 3) they came to believe the ‘good news’. And just as we do not leave our nativity scenes set up as a permanent shrine throughout the year, neither did the original inhabitants of the scene remain in the stable; they went out and proclaimed the ‘good news’ of Jesus’ birth to others.
The ‘good news’ of the birth of the long-awaited Messiah came first to Mary, nine months before the event itself. But was the message, when Mary first heard it, ‘good news’ for her? As wonderful as it was, the news that she had conceived a son put Mary’s future—and perhaps even her life—in danger. Mary knew that she had not been unfaithful to Joseph (to whom she was betrothed), but what would others think? And how was it even possible to have a child when she “did not know a man”? (Luke 1:34)
Since she was God’s chosen one, the angel knew that she had a right to an answer: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). And Mary believed the angel. She had faith.
Above all other human beings who have ever lived, even Abraham (who himself had received the unexpected news that he would have a son in his old age), Mary is our model for faith. And yet it was only God’s grace that could have led her to have such faith: grace which had prepared her for this moment since her own conception. As the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council taught, Mary “was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role” (Lumen Gentium 56). This is why we imitate the angel and call her ‘full of grace’.
After she received the ‘good news’ through grace and in faith, Mary herself became a messenger of the ‘good news’. She immediately went up to visit her cousin Elizabeth. When Elizabeth greeted her, Mary proclaimed: “My soul magnifies the Lord, … for he who is mighty has done great things for me” (Luke 1:46, 49). Then Elizabeth became the first person to call Mary ‘Blessed’. She said: “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Luke 1:45). Again, it is her faith which is extolled. We call Mary the Blessed Virgin not primarily because she was chosen to be the mother of the Lord, but because of her faith!
God’s messengers, the angels, were at the same time busy preparing Joseph to receive the ‘good news’ in faith. He was understandably troubled and confused by Mary’s pregnancy. “But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit’.” (Matthew 1:20) And here again we see the miracle of grace, for Joseph also believed the angel. And he too became a messenger of the Gospel, because he was the one who gave the child the name ‘Jesus’. It is in this name that we have proclaimed the ‘good news’ ever since: ‘Jesus’ is the ‘Saviour’, who “will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21, 25).
So, it was in faith, as a result of grace and in response to the evangelising messengers of God, that Mary and Joseph made their way to Bethlehem at the time of the census. And there too were people ready to be evangelised: not the great and mighty of the land, but the poor who looked for the Kingdom of God.
Again, the evangelist is an angel. But what an unlikely group to choose for the first converts to the Gospel: “Simple shepherds were the first witnesses to this event. In this poverty heaven’s glory was made manifest” (Catechism 525). What had they done to deserve this revelation? Nothing. Poor as they were, they received the ‘good news’ of the angel as pure grace. And more remarkable still is that they believed the angel’s message and acted upon it.
First, they encouraged one another to action: “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us” (Luke 2:15). Like the disciples who left their fishing boats and tax collecting tables, they left their sheep in the fields and “went with haste” (Luke 2:16) to find the baby. How did they find Mary and Joseph among so many people in Bethlehem that night? They demonstrated the truth of Jesus’ teaching: “Seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9). God gave them the faith to seek him; he also gave them the grace to find him.
How long did they search for Jesus? We do not know. We are simply told that they “found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16). Nor did the night end there, because now the first to be evangelised become the first evangelisers: “They made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them” (Luke 2:17).
Angels, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, the shepherds—we could continue on through the whole story of the Gospel. We could include the Wise Men, who received the ‘good news’ through signs in God’s own creation. We could include Simeon and Anna, who were waiting for the fulfilment of God’s promises in the Temple. We could go on and on right up to our own time and to ourselves as we embark on the New Evangelisation in this Year of Faith and Year of Grace.
This Christmas, as you pause before the nativity scene for prayer and reflection, remember that, like each character in that scene, you also are called to hear the Gospel, to believe it with the help of God’s grace, and then to go out and become witnesses to this “good news of great joy … to all the people” of the world. ARCHBISHOP HART
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE
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