3. The Birth of Jesus |
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria. All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea to David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. (Luc 2,1-7)
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I wish Jesus finds in our hearts a place where he can be born spiritually. We should aspire that Christ is born in us, which is to say that we must be born to a new life, be a new creature, save that holiness and purity of soul given to us in Baptism and has been like a new birth.
(Painting Natividad. COSTA, Lorenzo el Mayor.
Museo de Bellas Artes. Lyon)
| • The name of the Roman Emperor was ( ) |
| • Joseph and Mary went to register at the town of ( ) |
| • Bethlehem city was in ( ) |
| • When Mary was in Bethlehem the time of ( ) came. |
| • Wrapped Jesus in ( ) and laid him down in a manger. |
| • José did not found in Bethlehem ( ) to rest. |
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them.
The angel said: Don’t be afraid! I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” (Luc 28-12)
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The good news of the birth of Christ is announced first to this modest and humble people. God has a predilection for the lowly, hides from those who boast of wise and prudent and rebels to "small".
(Painting Adoración de los pastores. ZURBARÁN, Francisco de. Museo de Bellas
Artes. Grenoble.)
| • There were shepherds that slept ( ) and watched their flock. |
| • The shepherds watched ( ) overnight. |
| • Suddenly a/an ( ) of the Lord appeared among them. |
| • They were happy because a ( ) was born in the city of David. |
| • Don’t be ( ) because I come to announce a great joy. |
| • Today a Savior is born in the city of ( ) |
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in highest heaven,
And peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other: “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them
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Holy Mary, maestro of prayer! If we imitate her, if we keep and ponder in our hearts what we hear and see of Jesus, we are on track to Christian holiness and do not lack in our life neither the doctrine of the Lord nor his grace.
(Painting Adoración de los pastores. MURILLO, Bartolomé Esteban. Museo del Prado. Madrid)
C. Choose one of the words
| • A multitude of the heavenly host ( ) to God. |
| • Glory to ( ) in highest heaven. |
| • Peace to men of ( ) will. |
| • Let’s go to ( ) and let’s see this event just happened. |
| • They saw Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in ( ). |
| Mary ( ) these things in her heart. |
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®Arturo Ramo García.-Record of intellectual property of Teruel (Spain) No 141, of 29-IX-1999 Plaza Playa de Aro, 3, 1º DO 44002-TERUEL