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A Word from the Cistercian Fathers for Christmas

December 23, 2018 by James 2 Comments

Note what I have said, that you ought to love. You fear the Lord of the angels, but love the little Child. You fear the Lord of majesty, but love the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. You fear Him reigning in heaven, but love Him lying in the manger. What sign did the shepherds receive? You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. This sign meant that he is the Savior, that he is the Christ, that he is the Lord.

But is there anything great about being wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a stable? Are not other children wrapped in swaddling clothes? What, then, does this sign mean? It means a great deal if only we understand it. We do understand it if we do not merely hear these tidings but also have in our hearts the light which appeared to the angels. He appeared with light when these tidings were first proclaimed to make us realize that it is only those who have the spiritual light in their minds who truly hear.

from Aelred of Rievaulx’s Third Sermon for the Nativity, The Liturgical Sermons, CF 58, p. 104

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Filed Under: Liturgy

Comments

  1. Ronald Dombroski says

    December 23, 2018 at 10:59 am

    I think that one of the things Aelred is implying here is that – this infant IS the God of glory who lies in the manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. This child is BOTH the Lord of the angels and the vulnerable infant. BOTH the Lord of majesty and the babe who lies helpless, dependent in a manger.
    This reminds me of something I always found a little fascinating.
    In the Cistercian Constitution, Chapter 2 – we find the phrase that the monk’s life is a ‘rendering to the divine majesty a service that is at once humble and noble’. Is not this the way God comes to us…at once both humble and noble?

    Reply
  2. Dennis DiVito says

    December 24, 2018 at 9:44 am

    In this time and language usage, I find that we need to change the word “fear” to “awe” or “reverence”. It a more accurate rendering of the state an encounter with God gives. Dictionaries today put the use of fear as awe lower down as a meaning.

    Reply

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