The Circumcision of Our Lord
Name: The Circumcision of Our Lord
Date: 1 January
Circumcision was a sacrament of the Old Law, and the first legal observance required of thedescendants of Abraham by Almighty God. It was a sacrament of initiation in the service of God,and a promise, an engagement, to believe and act as He had revealed and directed. The law ofcircumcision continued in force until the death of Christ. Our Saviour having thus been bornunder the law, it became Him who came to teach mankind obedience to the law of God,to fulfillall justice, and to submit to it. He was circumcised that He might redeem those who were underthe law, by freeing them from the servitude of it, and that those who were formerly in thecondition of servants might be set at liberty and receive the adoption of sons in Baptism, which,by Christ’s institution, succeeded to circumcision. (Cf. Gal. 4:5) On the day when the divine Infant was circumcised, He received the name of JESUS, which wasassigned to Him by the Angel before He was conceived, and which signifies SAVIOUR. Thatname, so beautiful, so glorious, the divine Child does not wish to bear for one moment withoutfulfilling its meaning. Even at the moment of His circumcision He showed Himself a SAVIOURby shedding for us that blood of which a single drop is more than sufficient for the ransom andsalvation of the whole world. |
