St. Stephen Gospel: Matthew 10:17-22 Following the example of St. Stephen, bravely bear witness to Christ
We often face challenges and temptations to our faith from this world. The challenges posed by the master of this world often leave us in a dilemma: if we choose to accept everything in this world, we will fall into the numerous traps set by the master of this world and be unable to extricate ourselves; if we choose to abandon this world, entrust ourselves completely to God, and reject everything brought by the master of this world, we will worry about how to survive in this world. Therefore, like the Israelites in the Old Testament, we often place our sense of security on those creatures created by God like ourselves, rather than on God Himself.
In fact, we often choose to propagate the Gospel to those who are suitable for it according to our own wishes but are unwilling to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In our view, if we propagate the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven to those brothers and sisters who are willing to accept it according to our own wishes, we will achieve good results. However, the opposite is true. When we first propagate the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven to our relatives and friends, we originally thought that they would accept everything we preach. In fact, very few of our relatives and friends accept everything we preach. When we reflect on the reasons for this, we often think that our relatives and friends are stubborn and unyielding. If we forcefully preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven to them, they will sever ties with us. Therefore, we are ashamed to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven to them, and may even assimilate with them, continuing to live under the enslavement of sin and death.
Today, the Church celebrates the feast day of the martyrdom of St. Stephen, which serves as a constant reminder that God calls us to become His children. In life, we are to live out the spirit of the Gospel, imitate Christ, entrust ourselves, and in all things, conform to God’s holy will. With the spirit of martyrdom, we bear witness to the Gospel we proclaim, so that the world, through all we do, may know Christ, believe in the Gospel, and join us in sharing His eternal life within the holy love of Christ.
The Nativity of the Lord Gospel: Luke 2:15-20; John 1:1-18 Witness of the Shepherd and John the Baptist
Today, following tradition, the Church will celebrate two Christmas Masses for Jesus, namely the Nativity of the Lord Mass at Dawn and the Nativity of the Lord Mass during the Day. Both Gospels share a common theme: testimony. St. Luke introduces us to the process of the shepherds who, upon hearing the angel’s announcement, went to Bethlehem and arrived at the manger where the infant Jesus was. Initially, they harboured doubts and even felt fear, but soon after, they began to attempt to go to Bethlehem to see the Messiah announced by the angel. Upon seeing the Messiah of God, they glorified and praised God continuously on their way back. St. John reveals to us the profound mystery of the Word of God and God’s creation, as well as the new creation that He began through John the Baptist. We can see the testimony of John the Baptist in his accounts. John the Baptist, who could have replaced Jesus, humbled himself and clearly pointed out to us that Jesus is the Messiah of God. As a disciple of John the Baptist, St. John, under the influence of John, decided to follow our Lord Jesus and become His disciple. From the accounts of these two sacred historians, we see a common theme: witness. In accordance with His providence, God chose the shepherds to proclaim to the world the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Moreover, in accordance with His holy will, He chose John the Baptist as the forerunner of Jesus Christ, preparing a suitable people for our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, God has likewise chosen us, inviting us to proclaim to the world the mystery of the Incarnation of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us emulate the shepherds and John the Baptist, living out the Word of God in our lives, and with a simple and generous attitude, proclaim to the world the joyful news of the Savior’s birth. I wish you all a joyous Christmas in the Lord Jesus!
Christmas Eve Mass Gospel: Luke 2:1-14 The Annunciation of the Angels: The Shepherds’ Response
Tonight, we gather with the universal Church in Bethlehem, in front of the manger where Jesus Christ is about to be born, quietly awaiting the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel for tonight’s Mass is taken from the Gospel of St. Luke.
When the Virgin Mary returned to her hometown of Bethlehem with Joseph, they sought lodging for the night but found no place, so they had to settle in a manger. (cf. Luke 2:1-7) When the Virgin Mary’s labour pains came, she gave birth to the Savior of mankind, Jesus Christ, in the manger. We see that Jesus was so small and weak, resembling an infant. And after Jesus’ birth, an angel first brought the good news of the Savior’s birth to the shepherds: “Do not be afraid! I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Lord’s Messiah. And this shall be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloth, lying in a manger.”.
Today, when the shepherds learned from the angel’s mouth that the Savior they had been waiting for, Jesus Christ, had been born, they were afraid, because in their view, they might have seen God, and at that time, if one saw God, they would die. However, the angel did not kill those shepherds along with the heavenly host but instead conveyed a voice to them: “Do not be afraid! Behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: today in the city of David, a Savior has been born to you; He is the Lord’s Messiah.” (cf. Luke 2:10-11) And he gave them a sign: “You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” (cf. Luke 2:12)
Today, let us become the angels who proclaim to the world the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. In our lives, let us live out the spirit of the Holy Word and, through practical actions, proclaim the Christmas of our Lord Jesus Christ to those who live alongside us every day. Bring the Christmas of our Lord Jesus Christ to those who live on the fringes of society and invite them to come to the church to celebrate the Christmas of our Lord Jesus Christ with us.
全属于祢 
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