The Octave Day of Christmas
Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
Reading 1
The LORD said to Moses:
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:
This is how you shall bless the Israelites.
Say to them:
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,
and I will bless them.”
Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8Responsorial Psalm
R. (2a) May God bless us in his mercy.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
Gal 4:4-7Reading 2
Brothers and sisters:
When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
to ransom those under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.
As proof that you are sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying out, “Abba, Father!”
So you are no longer a slave but a son,
and if a son then also an heir, through God.
Lk 2:16-21Gospel
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.
When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
Catholic Fundamentalism Interpretation:
The Loving Programmer told Moses to tell Aaron and his sons how to bless the Israelites: Say to them:
"The Loving Programmer sustain your programs and have them work effectively and efficiently. May He keep you so favored that you have no errors in your operating system but have it work so well that you have what you need. May the Loving Programmer keep sustaining your program, keeping you free from error and operating in peace.
So shall they ask Me to bless them, and I will."
May the Loving Programmer keep our individual, and collective, programs working so well that other peoples notice, and obey Him, as well.
May the nations be thankful because You rule the groups of semi-similar human programs equitably, guiding all of them.
May people praise You for Your power, may all fear Him, and may He bless us in His mercy.
When the program had run its appointed course, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born according to the (old) operating system to ransom those who were to obey the law so that we might be adopted, as sons.
As proof that we are the sons of The Loving Programmer, God sent the spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, "Father! Father!"
That shows that we are no longer slaves, but children of God, and we have been included in His (irrevocable) will as His heirs."
Those low-level laborers who watched over the sheep at night (did as the angels told them) and raced to Bethlehem, and found Mary and Joseph, and The Infant, lying in the manger.
When they saw this, they told everyone the message they’d heard about The Child. All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds had told them.
And, Mary kept all these things in mind, thinking deeply about them. Then, the shepherds went back to work, praising The Loving Programmer for what they’d seen and heard, just as (the angels) had told them.
(According to the Law) He was circumcised, and was named Jesus, as the angel said, even before He was conceived in the womb.
