The Manifestation of the New-Born Christ

The birth of Christ was not manifested at once to all mankind. Had Christ been so manifested, the redemption by the cross would have been hindered; for, as St. Paul says (I Cor. 2:8):“If they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.” Moreover, universal manifestation of the birth of the Savior would have lessened the merit of faith, which is”the evidence of things that appear not” (Heb. 11:1), andthe reality of his human nature would have been more easilydoubted.

Yet the Nativity had to be manifested, even as the Resurrection had later to be manifested, “not to all thepeople, but to witnesses preordained by God” (Acts 10:41). Ifthe birth had been hidden from all, it could have profitednone.

The birth of Christ was indeed made known “to those preordained.” These witnesses of the Nativity, and ofthe divinity of the Child, represented all nations and conditions,for they were male and female, Jew and Gentile, namely, the shepherds, the Magi, Simeon, Anna.

Had God directly manifested the Redeemer’s birth instead of using creatures (the angels, the star), it would havebeen easy for people to doubt that our Lord was true man. It was much better for us all that the birth was manifested in the way inwhich it actually was manifested.

Knowledge is given by means of things familiar to those who receive it. Now, the Jews were accustomed to the receiving of divine instruction through the ministry of angels. And the Gentiles were wont to observe the course of the stars. Hence, while spiritual-minded people like Anna and Simeon received the manifestation of Christ’s birth by interior revelation, the more material or worldly people had to be taught by signs and wonders.

Christ’s birth was first made known to the shepherds; these men represent the apostles and all the believers among the Jews. Then the birth was manifested to the Gentiles inthe persons of the Magi. Finally it was again manifested to the Jews represented by the holy Simeon and Anna.

The star of the Nativity was not a regular part of the heavenly system; it was a newly-created star, and was not in the high firmament, but near the earth. For scripture (Matt. 2:9) says that “it came and stood over where the child was.” Some have taught that this star was a power endowed with reason. Some have wondered whether it were not a visible manifestation of the Holy Ghost, like the dove that appeared in our Lord’sbaptism by John. Others again have believed that the angel who appeared in human form to the shepherds, appeared to the Magi inthe form of the star. But it seems most just to say that the star of the Nativity was a newly-created heavenly body near the earth. Pope St. Leo says (Serm. De Epiph. xxxi), that the star must have been more bright and beautiful than the other stars, for its appearance instantly convinced the Magi that it had an urgent and important meaning.

The Magi were the “first fruits of the Gentiles.”Their faith in Christ was a kind of forecast of the coming faith ofall nations in the Incarnate Word. The Magi were inspired by the Holy Ghost to come and pay homage to Christ.