Homily for Christmas Mass during the Day

Homily for Christmas Mass during Day

Dec. 25, 2025
John 1: 1-5, 9-14
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence, N.R.

The Nativity (Sebastiano Mainardi)

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1: 14).

During Israel’s exodus from Egypt and for generations after, until Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem, the Chosen People kept the ark of the covenant, God’s material dwelling place, in a tent.  That tent was pitched wherever the Israelites moved in the Sinai wilderness, moving along with them and their flo  cks.  “Anyone who wished to consult the Lord would go to this meeting tent outside the camp.  Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise and stand at the entrance of their own tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent.  As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down and stand at its entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. (Ex 33:7-9)

“On coming out [of the tent], he would tell the Israelites all that had been commanded.  Then the Israelites would see that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant…” (Ex 34:34-35), radiant with the light of God’s glory.

When David thought of building a more dignified home for the ark, he explained to his prophet Nathan, “Here I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwells in a tent!” (2 Sam 7:2).  God declined David’s proposal to build a more fitting house for the ark, for God’s home among the Hebrews.

That experience of divine presence is evoked when John proclaims that the Word of God “came to his own … and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory” (1:11,14).  “Made his dwelling among us” is literally “pitched his tent among us.”  As we journey toward the Promised Land, the land of “grace and truth” and God’s glory (1:14), the Word of God lives among us and moves along with us.  He stays with us in the living Word of the Scriptures, and he stays with us in the sacraments, signs of his presence among us, and he stays with us in our tabernacles—a word that means “tents.”

Ever since Gabriel came to the Virgin Mother at Nazareth, the Word made flesh has dwelt in our human flesh, never far from us.  He dwells in us when our bodies become Eucharistic tabernacles.  In the Eucharist he makes us his own, giving us “power to become children of God” (1:12), promising us a share in his glory. 

I am the light of the world
(outside USCCB HQ, Washington)

Thru his presence in his Church, in his Word, and in his sacraments, his “light shines in the darkness” (1:5) of our journey, guiding us toward eternal light.  That eternal light has been reported by many people who’ve had near-death experiences, drawing them and comforting them.  Naturally—or supernaturally—enuf, for that’s God’s promise, the reason why the Word pitched his tent among us and journeys with us, his brothers and sisters and co-heirs whom he makes his own chosen people.