“The Holy Bible: The Infancy Narratives”
St. Matthew, Chapter One and Two. St. Luke, Chapter One and Two.
The Sacred Fathers of Vatican II issued the beautiful Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum). The purpose of the wonderful document was to encourage all the members of the Church to be led to a deeper love of God through His Holy Word. Since the Sacred Scriptures are “alive and active” (Heb. 4:12), they should be brought into family life at every opportunity.
Again, as the Council Fathers teach: “in the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven meets His children with great love and speaks to them; and the force and power in the word of God is so great that it stands as the support and energy of the Church, the strength of faith for her sons, the food of the soul, the pure and everlasting source of spiritual life.” (Dei Verbum, Chapter VI)
My father-in-law, Edward Dailey, understood the beauty and need to share the accounts of the birth of the Messiah. Each Christmas Eve, before opening the presents, he would either read the Infancy Narrative from St. Matthew or St. Luke. The reading of the birth of Jesus by the patriarch of the family impressed the importance of this holy event. We all understood that the presents could wait, because God the Father had sent the perfect present to humanity. This glorious present was His Son, Christ the Lord. So Edward would slowly read the Gospel passages as all the family members listened to the Heavenly Father coming to meet us in these letters of love.
The Evangelists choose different aspects of the Nativity to emphasize. St. Matthew recounts the role of St. Joseph throughout the birth of Our Savior. In Chapter One, the angel tells St. Joseph to take Mary into his household, because “she has conceived by the Holy Spirit” (St. Matthew, Chapter One). St. Joseph’s earthly fatherhood is emphasized since the angel tells him to name the Holy Child.
St. Matthew demonstrates that Jesus is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophesies concerning the Messiah. In Chapter Two, the Magi arrive, causing fear and hatred in King Herod. This leads to the Massacre of the Holy Innocents and the Flight into Egypt.
St. Luke develops the role of the Blessed Mother in these marvelous events. In Chapter One, St. Luke recounts the Annunciation and the Visitation, which culminates with one of the most profound prayers in all of Sacred Scripture, the Magnificat.
In Chapter Two, St. Luke tells us of the birth of Jesus and of Mary wrapping Him in swaddling clothes and laying Him in a humble manger. In St. Luke’s Gospel, we meet the shepherds coming to meet and adore Jesus. Both accounts of the birth of Our Lord are poignant, personal and edifying.
My father-in-law would ask us each year which of the Gospel accounts we wanted to hear. Then in a deep baritone voice, he would bring us the Word of God. It made Christmas Eve a memorable and holy event. I would encourage each family to make this a family custom. The reading makes a strong impression on children because they see the parent recounting the story of our salvation. It is both instructive and pleasing for children to hear the Infancy Narratives. It will increase their love for Christ and deepen their faith. Have a joyful Christmas!
