My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, today we celebrate the first Sunday after Christmas –The Solemnity of the Humble Shepherds.
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’
When the shepherds heard the Word of the Lord through the angels, how did they respond? Did they go and pray about what they had heard to see what they should do next? Did they go and talk to the priests and Pharisees to make sure they had it right? What was their reaction?
Their reaction was spontaneous, they didn’t think, they didn’t pray, they just reacted with excitement. We have to remember these shepherds likely did not receive a kind word from anyone. But they received — Good News — not just from anyone on earth, but from God Himself who made the greatest event ever known first to them.
They couldn’t wait.
They went in haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger; once they saw, they understood what had been told them concerning this Child. All who heard of it were astonished at the report given them by the shepherds. Mary treasured all these things and reflected on them in her heart.
While Mary was treasuring all that God was accomplishing before her, what did the shepherds do?
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, in accord with what had been told them. The shepherds returned home.
This was the beginning of the good news of Jesus` coming into the world. The shepherds went to the manger and presented their respect worshipping the newborn savior of the world. They left praising God for the great fortune of humanity and they participated in the great event by telling everyone they could. They were the first witnesses of the great News that Jesus is Savior of the world and salvation is here.
Jesus came to save what was lost, to enlighten the world with his teaching and to save and sanctify with His Grace. Jesus came to change hearts of stone to convert them into hearts of flesh, full of love and compassion. He came to assume full responsibility for our sins with His death on the cross to participate his salvation if we repent and amend ours ways.
Jesus is the bridge between heaven and earth. He invites us to walk with him into everlasting glory. We have to humble ourselves like the shepherds did, come and pay homage to our savior every day of our life, rejoice in our salvation and share the good news to all people on earth.