The author of the Letter to the Hebrews starts his meditation on Jesus' priesthood from the mystery of the Incarnation. The Son of God, higher in nature than all the angels became for a time a little lower than the angels. It is fitting to meditate upon this mystery in this first week of the year, after the Christmas period. The mystery of Christmas must guide our everyday lives throughout the year, for by His incarnation Jesus began the work of consecrating us as children of our heavenly Father.

The shadow of the cross fell across the manger at Bethlehem, just as we shall see in the weeks ahead how that same shadow marked the life of Jesus. Shortly after the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem, the Holy Innocents were martyred. Shortly after He began His public life, people began plotting the death of Jesus. As Jesus gave up His Divinity to become for a time a little lower than the angels, so too He will give up His human life in death for our sake. As He emptied Himself of His divinity, so too He will empty Himself of His humanity at the Last Supper and give Himself to us as the bread of life and the cup of our salvation.