On the Back Porch
Reading, pondering and studying God’s Word is sometimes best done “on the back porch.” Each week we will try to offer something for you and your “back porch time.”
Christmas, Year C
The Gospels of Christmas
Did you know that the Church has four different Christmas Masses, each with their own gospels? The four Masses are:
- The Nativity of the Lord – Vigil Mass
- The Nativity of the Lord – Mass during the Night (aka: The Midnight Mass)
- The Nativity of the Lord – Mass at Dawn
- The Nativity of the Lord – Mass during the Day
The Vigil Mass gospel is taken from Mathew and provides his genealogy as well as the Christmas narrative from Joseph. The masses during the Night and at Dawn take the Christmas narrative from Luke. The “midnight” Mass tells the story up to the angelic announcement of the birth of Jesus. The Mass at dawn recounts the shepherds’ visit to the manger.
The Mass on Christmas Day uses the gospel known as the Prologue of John. It is proclaimed during Christmas Mass because it beautifully captures the profound theological meaning of the Incarnation—the central mystery celebrated at Christmas.
The documents attached are detailed commentaries on the different Christmas gospels. Enjoy!
Full Text of the Christmas Readings
Detailed Commentaries
Christmas Vigil gospel
Christmas during the Night and at Dawn gospel
Christmas Day gospel
Adoration of the Shepherds | Matthias Stom (c. 1650) | Palazzo Madama and Casaforte degli Acaj |Turin, Italy | PD-US
The Birth of Jesus
The humble conditions of his family and their low status in Israelite society foreshadow the upside-down nature of Jesus’ kingdom.