Proclamation of the Birth of Christ

From our friends at the New Liturgical Movement comes this translation of the Proclamation of the Birth of Christ.  Sadly, the Proclamation of the Birth of Christ, taken from the Roman Martyrology, is one that we rarely listen to in our parishes.  However, this beautiful proclamation puts the Nativity of Our Lord in both salvation and secular histories.  The Eternal Son of God deigns to be born in time. He desires to enter human history.  He leaps down from his heavenly throne and enters the new and authentic Ark of the Covenant, the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  He is the fulfillment of the Law, the true High Priest and the authentic Bread come down from heaven.

In the 5199th year of the creation of the world, from the time when in the beginning God created heaven and earth; from the flood, the 2957th year; from the birth of Abraham, the 2015th year; from Moses and the going-out of the people of Israel from Egypt, the 1510th year; from the anointing of David as king, the 1032nd year; in the 65th week according to the prophecy of Daniel; in the 194th Olympiad; from the founding of the city of Rome, the 752nd year; in the 42nd year of the rule of Octavian Augustus, when the whole world was at peace, in the sixth age of the world: Jesus Christ, the eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desiring to sanctify the world by His most merciful coming, having been conceived by the Holy Ghost, and nine months having passed since His conception was born in Bethlehem of Juda of the Virgin Mary, having become man. The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.

We see the beautiful melding of both the sacred and the secular.  When I have heard this proclaimed, its profound beauty pierces my heart.  It is one of the Church's most beautiful liturgical treasures and it should not be hidden under a basket.  We heard it proclaimed in my parish last night and it was beautiful.