The church’s liturgies celebrate Christmas as an unfolding story

By Anna Weaver | Hawaii Catholic Herald

The Incarnation drama comes to light The four Christmas Masses each has its own unique prayers and readings. Here’s a comparison of the different Gospel readings and a short excerpt from each. Vigil Mass Gospel: Mt 1:1-25 or 1:18-25 The extended Gospel reading includes the long genealogy of Jesus, from Abraham to Joseph. Both versions include the story of how Mary was found with child while engaged to Joseph and how an angel of the Lord convinced Joseph to wed Mary. “… the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’” Midnight Mass Gospel: Lk 2:1-14 A census decree by the Caesar Augustus required Joseph to take Mary, who was with child, to enroll in his ancestral home of Bethlehem, where Jesus was born and laid in a manger. Angels appeared to shepherds at night, announcing the savior’s birth. “While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Dawn Mass Gospel: Lk 2:15-20 After the angels left them, the shepherds found Mary and Joseph with Jesus lying in a manger. The shepherds were amazed and left glorifying God and telling others of what they had seen. “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.” Day Mass Gospel: Jn 1:1-18 or 1:1-5, 9-14 This reading is the prologue to the Gospel According to John, which poetically announces Jesus as the preexisting embodiment of the Word of God. “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.”

We all have our Christmas traditions. Visiting Honolulu Hale to see the City Lights displays. Making the family Christmas cookie recipe. Opening one present on Christmas Eve.

Often our family traditions include attending a particular Christmas Mass, whether it be the children’s liturgy, Midnight Mass or a comfortable Christmas day Mass. But if you are in the habit of going to the same liturgy each year, you might miss the fact that there are four different, distinctive Christmas Masses: Vigil, Midnight, Dawn and Day.

Unified by the single message of Christ’s birth, the quatrain of liturgies traces the nativity story from the genealogy of Jesus starting with Abraham, to his birth in Bethlehem, to the shepherds visiting the Holy Family after being told by angels of a Savior’s birth, to a theological illumination on the Word becoming flesh by the Evangelist John. (See box below)

With such a richness of liturgies, the hardiest among you might wish to attend all four. Or perhaps you might try a different Mass than the one you are accustomed to. Here is how four island parishes celebrate the Christmas Masses.

Lahaina, Maui

Father Gary Colton, pastor of Maria Lanakila Parish in Lahaina on Maui says that he changes his Christmas homilies to fit the different Masses. “Christmas Eve and midnight are focused on Jesus is coming,” he said. “Christmas Day is about how Jesus is here and how to make him more present in our lives.”

Father Colton says that in general the Vigil Mass is “geared for families,” the Midnight is “a mixed bag — it’s such a mass of humanity you don’t know who you’re going to get.” The early morning Mass is frequented by mostly local parishioners he calls the “dawn patrol” and the day Mass has more island visitors. This seems typical of many parishes

One of Maria Lanakila’s “dawn patrol” regulars is parish secretary and choir member Eloise Kujat, who goes at that time because “it’s early and then you have the rest of the day to do whatever you wish.”

“It’s just a close knit group of friends,” she said. “After the 7 a.m. Mass we usually go home and do the present thing.”

What Father Colton has noticed changing at Christmas Masses over the years is that there is more of an emphasis on greeting new faces and faces that are only seen once or twice a year — a move from “Merry Christmas” to “Welcome home.”

“The whole idea of hospitality is shifting now towards, ‘We’re really glad you’re here. We’d like to see you more often,’” he said.

Waimea, Big Island

Father Robert Schwartzhaupt, pastor of Annunciation Parish in Waimea, chooses to use the Midnight Mass readings at the Christmas Vigil because many children attend the 5 p.m. Vigil Mass at Annunciation Church and the 7:30 p.m. Mass at Ascension Mission in Puako.

“The children’s Mass is most fun because it creates the story of Joseph and Mary,” he said. “You work harder at being more animated and you try to get the children to appreciate the birth of Jesus.”

Father Schwartzhaupt also likes the ritual at the Midnight Mass, which at Annunciation is celebrated at 10 p.m. There is incense, the recitation of Proclamation of the Birth of Christ, and different songs.

“It’s a little more reverent in nature,” he said. “It has a special feel to it because it is later and it’s more of an adult crowd as opposed to the children’s Mass.”

Kailua, Oahu

Father Tom Gross, pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in Kailua, Oahu, said that Christmas “has so many secular things involved with it that it tarnishes the meaning of it.”

Therefore, he tries to bring out the true meaning of the season in his homilies at the various Masses, in particular tailoring his Vigil Mass homily toward children with the occasional “gimmick.”

“It’s very hard to preach both Christmas and Easter Masses without being trite,” Father Gross said. “I keep it very simple.”

“I would say we have most people come to the Vigil Mass. It’s become a tradition over the years,” Father Gross said. “I keep warning [parishioners] about [the crowds] but they keep coming, I guess because they like the kids.”

Honolulu, Oahu

Msgr. Terrence Watanabe, pastor of St. Philomena and Holy Family Parishes in Honolulu, says that all of the Christmas Masses are delightful to him because everyone who comes is in a holiday mood.

He adjusts his homilies at each Mass to fit the readings. “Basically it’s speaking about peace, the gift of Christ to the world and the gift of sharing his life and love with the world,” Msgr. Watanabe said.

“The great thing about Christmas Masses is that everyone sings carols and they really put their heart and soul into singing the songs of the Mass,” he said.

A half hour before the Midnight Mass at both St. Philomena and Holy Family, the congregations begin caroling in the church. The nativity scene is also blessed. And after the Mass, there is a supper of Portuguese bean soup, coffee, fruit and other edibles so that people can linger and socialize.

The two clustered parishes alternate the Christmas Eve Vigil Mass (this year it’s at St. Philomena). But there’s no longer an early morning Mass. “We figure midnight is pretty early on that day and normally I’m not in bed until 3 o’clock in the morning,” Msgr. Watanabe says.

Faye Briones, St. Philomena’s environmental coordinator and a lector says that she used to attend and read at Midnight Mass “but as I get older I’m too tired.” She now waits for the sun to come up to attend a Christmas Mass.

“On Christmas Day, I’m happy to be a part of the celebration,” Briones said. “I love that Christmas spirit.”

For the church and its rich liturgical offerings, that Christmas spirit doesn’t end on Dec. 25. There are 12 more days of Christmas that include the Feast of the Holy Innocents on Dec. 28, the Feast of the Holy Family on Dec. 30, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on Jan. 1, and the Feast of Epiphany on Jan. 6.