聖誕

聖誕
　聖體不是選民的麥子和生命的食糧嗎？而麥子是必須被種植的。 它須落在土中，長起來，長熟了，被收割和被磨碎後， 才能做成好的麵餅。…這天上的麥子被種植在解作「麵餅房子」的「 白冷」。…白冷建築在面對著耶路撒冷的山上。當這枚麥子長熟了， 便要上加爾瓦略山，在哪兒被磨碎，用苦難的火烘焙， 而成為生命的食糧。…耶穌在白冷像出生在馬糟的一隻羊， 在母親身邊生長，由聖母用她純潔童貞的母乳餵養， 並保留到祭獻的一天。犧牲的特色在我主身上如此明顯， 當祂初公開傳教時，洗者若翰遇到祂，稱呼祂的不是別的名字， 而是天主的羔羊：「請看，除免世罪的天主羔羊！」… 在白冷開始的犧牲，彌撒聖祭中在祭台上完成。… 再看聖體怎樣在白冷開始，祂生為厄瑪奴爾， 意思是天主與我們同在；祂是要來居住在祂人民中間的那位。 在第一個聖誕日，祂開始了住在我們中間， 而在聖體中達成了永遠臨在。在白冷聖言成了肉；在聖體聖事， 為了把祂的肉給我們吃而不令我們產生抗拒的感覺， 祂成了麵餅形的食糧。(聖艾伯鐸 St. Peter Julian Eymard 1811-1868)
　我們會羨慕那些前往白冷山洞看聖嬰的牧人，他們親吻聖嬰的小手， 送給他禮物。我們會驚嘆：「有福的牧人啊！」然而， 我們不需羨慕他們，因為我們也沾著同樣的福氣。 牧人們到山洞探望的，和現在在聖體龕內的，是同一個主耶穌。 唯一的不同，牧人是用肉體的眼睛看衪， 我們卻是用信德的眼睛看衪。耶穌最喜悅的，是我們常去看望他。( 聖若望鮑思高神父, 1815-1888)
　耶穌為了我們從天降來，而我們連去探望在聖體內的耶穌也嫌麻煩， 這樣做合理嗎，值得原諒嗎？(聖金口若望, 344-407)
　賢士們朝拜馬槽中的聖嬰，他們懷著敬畏之情叩首在地敬拜， 你現在瞻仰在祭台上的，就是賢士們朝拜在馬槽中的那位， 而你亦明白祂的大能！(聖金口若望, 344-407)
　看，每日他自我謙卑，如同當他由天上的王座， 來到了貞女的胎中時；每日他以謙卑的外表，來我們這裏。 每日他從天父的懷裏下降，到祭台上在司鐸的手中。(聖方濟． 亞西西, 1182-1226)
　聖女日多達曾在領聖體前問耶穌：「主啊，你要給我什麼禮物呢？」 耶穌回答說：「給你整個我，連同我的天主性， 正如我的童貞母親曾接收的。」(聖女日多達, 1256-1302)
　耶穌向真福富高説：「我以不可想像的美善， 不單在我降生時把我自己給你數小時或數年而已，我現仍在你手中， 我會留下，直到世界的終結。想想我誕生帶給你的無盡福氣， 你能為我服務，可以透過服務你的近人來為我服務， 也可以服務那就住在你附近聖體龕中的我。你不但能服務我， 你更能安慰我。我成為這麼細小、這麼溫柔和的幼兒，向你呼喚： 放心靠近我吧！不要怕我，走過來，給我小孩子需要的：愛的擁抱。 不要害怕，不要畏懼一個在你眼前的溫和嬰兒，一個伸開雙手給你、 向著你微笑的嬰兒。他就是你的天主，但他是充滿微笑和溫良。 不要驚怕。」(真福查理．富高, 1858-1916)
Christmas
What is the Eucharist but “the wheat of the elect” and “the living bread?” Now, wheat must be sown. It must fall into the soil, and spring up, and ripen, and be harvested, and be ground before it can be made into good bread. … This heavenly wheat was sown at Bethlehem, the “House of bread.”… Bethlehem is built on a hill facing Jerusalem. When this ear of wheat has ripened, it shall lean towards Calvary where it shall be ground and shall be set on the fire of suffering to become a living bread. … It was truly a lambkin that was born at Bethlehem. Jesus was born like a lamb in a stable, and like a lamb knew no one but His mother. ... This little Lamb was to grow up close to its Mother; ... She would feed it with her pure and virginal milk, and would preserve it, for the day of sacrifice. This characteristic of victim was so evident in our Lord that when St. John the Baptist saw Him in the early days of His public life, he had no other name for Him than that of “Lamb of God.” “Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him Who takes away the sin of the world.” … The sacrifice begun at Bethlehem is consummated on the altar at Holy Mass. … And see how the Eucharist began at Bethlehem. He was even then the Emmanuel, “God with us,” Who was come to dwell among His people. On the first Christmas Day He began to live in our midst; the Eucharist perpetuates His presence. At Bethlehem, the Word was made flesh; in the Sacrament He is made bread in order to give us His flesh without stirring any feeling of repugnance in us. (St. Peter Julian Eymard 1811-1868)
We envy the shepherds who went to visit the grotto of Bethlehem to see Him, kissed His little hand, and offered Him their gifts. “Lucky shepherds!” we exclaim. And yet there is no reason to envy them, for their fortune is ours, too. The same Jesus they visited in the grotto is in our tabernacle. The only difference is that the shepherds saw Him with the eyes of the body, whereas we see Him with the eyes of faith. Nothing will please Him more than our frequent visits to Him. (St. John Bosco, 1815-1888, feast Jan 31)
What excuse shall we have, or how shall we obtain pardon, if we consider it too much to go to Jesus in the Eucharist, who descended from Heaven for our sake? (St. John Chrysostom, 344-407, feast Sept 13)
The wise men adored this body when it lay in the manger;…they prostrated themselves before it in fear and trembling….Now you behold the same body that the wise men adored in the manger, lying upon the altar;…you also know its power. (St. John Chrysostom, 344-407, feast Sept 13)
Everyday, Jesus humbles himself just as He did when He came from His heavenly throne into the Virgin’s womb; everyday He comes to us and lets us see Him in abjection, when He descends from the bosom of the Father into the hands of the priest at the altar. (St. Francis Assisi, 1182-1226, feast Oct 4)
As St. Gertrude was about to receive the Sacred Host, she asked “O Lord, what gift are You going to grant me?” And Jesus answered, “The gift of My Whole Being with My Divine nature, as formerly my Virgin Mother received it.” (St. Gertrude, 1256-1302, feast Nov 16)
Jesus speaking to Blessed Charles - “In my unimaginable goodness, I did not merely give myself to you at my birth for a few hours or years: I am still in your hands, and shall be henceforth until the end of the world. Think of the unending good fortune I brought you in my birth: the ability to serve me—to serve me by serving your neighbor, to serve me myself, living there near you in the tabernacle. Not only can you serve me, you can also console me… How happy you should be to be able to console me at every moment of your lives! By becoming so small, so gentle a child, I was crying out to you: Have trust! Come close to me! Do not be afraid of me, come to me, give me what children need: loving embraces. Do not be afraid, do not be so frightened in the presence of such a gentle baby, smiling at you and holding out his arms to you. He is your God, but he is all smiles and gentleness. Do not be afraid” (Bl. Charles de Foucauld, 1858-1916, feast Dec 1)