Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we come into these final days of the Advent season, my thoughts have been turning to the shepherds who faithfully kept watch over their flocks by night. These men were the first to hear the good news of the Nativity, and it is the account of what they witnessed that has endured over the centuries. Who were these men and why does their witness continue to resonate?

Shepherds played a vital role in the life of Israel. Not only were their sheep a source of wool and food but the animals they tended were required for the sacrificial worship of God. The Passover sacrifice – the highest and most important of the Jewish ceremonies – needed the sacrifice of a spotless, unblemished lamb. The work of the shepherds, then, was not only to care for a valuable resource, but it was also foundational to the way the entire nation worshipped. The shepherds made sure that there were sufficient sheep for sacrifice, and that the lambs were kept safe so as to be truly unblemished. The sacrifice of the shepherds was that night and day vigilance. Ironically, the shepherds were often unable to participate in the worship of the Jewish people because they were ritually unclean due to their frequent contact with blood and animal waste. And so, the shepherds further sacrificed. Shepherds not only laid down their life for their sheep, but they also made a gift of themselves for the whole nation of Israel. They sacrificed even their own participation in the worshipping community so that the community would be able to worship! The foundation of Israelite worship was men who, while noble in profession, lived in relative poverty, worked in the hardest conditions, and faced the greatest dangers – usually with little possibility of sharing fully in the fruits of their own personal sacrifice.

It was to these shepherds who lived vigilant lives that the news of the birth of the long-watched-for-Messiah was first shared. So arresting was this news that they immediately went to see what these tidings meant. They left the essential work of vigilance for the sake of something greater that awaited them in Bethlehem. The presence of the shepherds at the manger, then, was in itself a profound sign. Those who sacrificed so much for the sake of their nation were keeping watch in a whole new way: no longer concerned only for the safety of their flocks, but now watching and listening to the voice of the angels that sent them to the City of David. Both the message they received and their active response to it bears witness in a way that transcends time.

The call to be vigilant and the call to go to Bethlehem remain today. Like the shepherds, we have responsibilities that require our vigilance – most importantly that spiritual awareness that keeps us watchful over our souls and searching for the God who dwells with us. That very vigilance leads us to go to Bethlehem, to that place where we will find God Incarnate – that place where we can meet Christ. Bethlehem is always here for us, if only we will get up and go to see this marvel of which the angels sing. We have kept watch through this Advent season and now we are invited to find what our hearts have longed for. Emmanuel, “God-is-with-us,” calls us to draw near, to adore, and to rejoice. Let us rise and go to Bethlehem!

On behalf of the entire staff here at St. Pius X, I wish you and your families a very blessed celebration of our Lord’s Nativity and assure you of our prayers as this holy season continues. Merry Christmas!

Peace,

Fr. Sam