Fourth Saturday of Advent ~ Christmas Eve

~There is a special CHRISTMAS EVE video posted in the links. Enjoy.~

Jesse Tree Story: JESUS

Jesse Tree Symbol: CHI-RO

Scripture: "In the beginning was the Word: The Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things came into being, not one thing came into being except through Him. What has come into being through Him was life, life that was the light of men; and light shines in darkness, and darkness could not overpower it. A man came, sent by God. His name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness to the light, so that everyone might believe through him. He was not the light; he was to bear witness to the light. The Word was the real light that gives light to everyone; he was coming into the world. He was in the world that had come into being through him, and the world did not recognize him. He came to his own and his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in his name who were born not from human stock or human desire, or human will but from God himself. The Word became flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that he has from the Father as only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. John witnesses to him. He proclaims: 'This is the one of whom I said: He who comes after me has passed ahead of me because he existed before me.' Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received - one gift replacing another, for the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; it is the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known."

John 1:1-18

Commentary:

Jesus is the climax of the family tree.  Jesus is the Savior of the world.

The symbol is the Chi-Rho, a Greek word that makes up the first three letters of the name of Christ.  It is considered the royal monogram of Jesus.

Fourth Saturday of Advent Readings:

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 15-16

Psalm 89

Luke 1:67-79

Christmas Eve Reading (Vigil):

Isaiah 62: 1-5

Psalm 89

Acts 13: 16-17, 22-25

Matthew 1:1-25

Nativity of Our Lord - Midnight Mass:

Isaiah 9:1-6

Psalm 96

Titus 2:11-14

Luke 2:1-14