Reading 1
Nm 6:22-27
The LORD said to Moses:
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:
This is how you shall bless the Israelites.
Say to them:
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8
May God bless us in his mercy.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
among all nations, your salvation.
May God bless us in his mercy.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
May God bless us in his mercy.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
May God bless us in his mercy.
Reading II
Gal 4:4-7
Brothers and sisters:
When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
to ransom those under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.
As proof that you are sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying out, “Abba, Father!”
So you are no longer a slave but a son,
and if a son then also an heir, through God.
Gospel
Lk 2:16-21
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.When eight days were completed for his circumcision,
he was named Jesus, the name given Him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
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Catholic Fundamentalism Interpretation:
The Programmer told Moses (and the holy of all ages) how the priests should bless those chosen to be saved. Tell them:
"May The Loving Programmer of all give you programming assistance. May He favor you, and give you peace from evil spirits and evil people. If they ask for My Programming assistance in such a way, I will provide it."
May The Programmer provide Programming Assistance (answer our prayers).
May His Operating Instructions for mankind be downloaded among men of every nation.
May The Loving Programmer bless us out of His kindness for us. May the nations be glad because He rules (and judges) fairly, guiding the nations.
May The Programmer provide favorable programming for us, and may all the human programs praise Him for doing so. May He provide programming assistance for us, and strike fear into the hearts of those too vain to obey His Operating Instructions.
As The Creation Program ran its course, The Programmer sent His Son, (Jesus Christ is The Program in perfect, loving, obedient, human form). He was downloaded in Mary's womb, according to the law (both His and man's) so that we may become beloved human programs of The Programmer. To prove that He did so, He sent The Holy Wireless Connector into our souls, crying out "Abba, Father!". That's why you aren't slaves, but have been given the opportunity to download enough of The Source Code to be considered as God's children, thereby inheriting eternal life."
Many low-level blue-collar workers (were told by Programming Assistants) to go quickly to Bethlehem. There, they found Mary and Joseph and The Program. He was in the form of a helpless infant, lying in the manger. The shepherds told everyone they could about this, and were amazed (partly by the fact that they were such lowly people who were the first to be told and who were also the first outside the Holy Family to obey.
Mary remembered all these things, and thought deeply about them. Then, the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising The Loving Programmer Who'd sent the child and the angels to tell them about Him.
When the eight days prescribed by the law for his circumcision had passed, He given the same name on earth He'd been given by the angels, "Jesus".
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