Merry Christmas from Bethlehem! We made it!
We read in scripture at today’s Mass, “When the angels went away from them to heaven,
the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger” (Lk 2:15-16).
Just five miles from Jerusalem stands the glorious Church of the Nativity, a living testament to the mystery of the Incarnation. This remarkable basilica, the oldest extant shrine in the Holy Land, draws pilgrims from every corner of the world to the very place where Jesus Christ was born. It is built on that site that Christians have regarded as the birthplace of Jesus since the second century A.D.
First built by the Emperor Constantine in the fourth century, then subsequently rebuilt by Justinian in the sixth century, this church has survived wars, invasions, and the passage of time, bearing silent witness to the miracle of Christ’s birth. Its preservation is itself a story of divine providence!
The enduring resilience of the Church of the Nativity
One remarkable legend surrounds the Church of the Nativity’s survival. During a Persian invasion in the seventh century, the army reportedly spared the church after seeing an image of the Magi depicted in the basilica’s mosaics. The Magi were portrayed in Persian-style clothing, and the soldiers recognized them as their own. This story reminds us of the reach of the Gospel, extending across nations and cultures, drawing all people to the humble birthplace of the Savior. Today, Greek Orthodox, Catholic, and Armenian Christians together maintain this sacred site.
Added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2012, the Church of the Nativity was simultaneously placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to its deteriorated condition. I’m happy to say, it was removed from that list in 2019, thanks to an extensive restoration of the church’s roof, doors, facade and mosaics.
Today as we celebrate Christmas, this sacred shrine calls us to ponder the profound modesty of Our Lord’s Nativity. God chose to enter the world not in a palace but in a manger, surrounded by simplicity. The church, with its timeless beauty and scars of history, reflects this mystery: it is both majestic and meek, a place of glory and vulnerability.
Let us pray,
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, as we are bathed in the new radiance of your Incarnate Word, the light of faith, which illumines our minds, may also shine through in our deeds.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your on, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
