Readings: Galatians 4:1–7; Luke 2:33–40
In the spirit of the Church’s Traditional Liturgy
Class II Sunday
“God sent His Son… that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Gal. 4:4–5)
On this Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity, Holy Mother Church places before us a twofold mystery: the eternal Son made man and the divine adoption that flows from His Incarnation. The sacred liturgy, still resonant with the angelic hymns of Christmas night, now turns our gaze from Bethlehem’s cradle to the interior transformation wrought in those who receive the Word made flesh.
The Epistle from Galatians 4:1–7 unveils the doctrinal heart of the Incarnation: that in the “fulness of time, God sent His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them who were under the law; that we might receive the adoption of sons.” This Pauline text, rich in theological significance, is read on this Sunday because it roots the birth of Christ in the divine economy—God’s eternal plan for our salvation, not merely an event in time but a turning point in eternity.
Saint John Chrysostom, commenting on this passage, teaches:
“He was not only made man, but also made under the law, to redeem those under the law. See how He has not only freed us but also made us sons.” (Homily on Galatians)
Christ comes not merely to deliver man from sin but to elevate him to divine sonship. The temporal birth of the Son of God ensures our spiritual rebirth. And this is no mere metaphor. Through Baptism and the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, we are truly made sons in the Son.
In the Gospel (Luke 2:33–40), we behold the Child Jesus presented in the Temple, greeted by Simeon and Anna. This scene, too, is suffused with mystery. Here, the true Temple comes to the temple of stone; the Lord comes to His house, fulfilling the prophecy of Malachi: “The Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to His temple” (Mal. 3:1). The aged Simeon, a figure of the just under the Old Law, receives the Infant in his arms and proclaims Him a “light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.”
Saint Ambrose notes of Simeon’s canticle:
“He who had desired to see Christ, and had obtained the desire of his heart, asked now to be dismissed from the prison of the body. For he who has seen Christ is not afraid to die.” (Expositio Evangelii secundum Lucam, II.57)
The joy of Christmas, then, is not sentiment but a foretaste of glory. To see the Christ Child with the eyes of faith is to see our salvation—“prepared before the face of all peoples.” Simeon’s prophecy contains a shadow amid the light: “This Child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many… and a sword shall pierce thy soul.” The shadow of the Cross already lies over the Infant. Even in Bethlehem, Calvary is not far off.
But there is no sorrow without hope. Anna, the prophetess, serves as the image of the Church in her vigil. She is the faithful widow, constant in prayer and fasting, who “spoke of Him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel.” Her words echo the mission of the Church: to proclaim the Christ, born in time, crucified and risen, to all those awaiting deliverance.
Spiritual Application
Dear soul, during this Octave of the Nativity, let us not merely adore the sweetness of the Infant Christ but grasp the grandeur of the mystery: He is born so that we might be born again. Saint Leo the Great preached:
“O Christian, recognize thy dignity: and becoming a partner in the divine nature, refuse to return to the old baseness by degenerate conduct.” (Sermo I in Nativitate Domini)
Christ’s birth is not a quaint memory but an enduring reality. He was born of the Virgin that He might be born in us by grace. The spirit of adoption is the fruit of His coming. As sons and daughters in the Son, we are called not only to marvel at the mystery of His Incarnation but to live as heirs of God.
Let us then imitate the holy ones of the Gospel. Let us bear Christ in our arms, like Simeon, and proclaim Him with our lips, like Anna. Let us contemplate the Mother’s pierced heart, remembering that union with the Infant King entails sharing in His Cross.
Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, born in the fullness of time of the Virgin Mary, grant that we, who have been made sons of God by Thy grace, may live as children of the light. Kindle in us the spirit of adoption, and make us worthy to inherit the Kingdom prepared for us from the foundation of the world. Amen.