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Christmas Season · Nativity of the Lord - Christmas Dawn · Year A

Luke 2:15-20

The Shepherds Go to Bethlehem

December 25, 2025

The Adoration of the Shepherds, Jacopo Bassano
The Adoration of the Shepherds, Jacopo Bassano, about 1545Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice
Two shepherds have come down on their knees in the dirt, one still gripping his staff, both barefoot and sunburnt; a third holds the donkey at the right. Mary lifts the cloth off the child, who is lying in a wicker basket set on the ground, and Joseph watches from the wall behind. The ox walks in from the right as if nobody had told it anything.When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place. So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.Jacopo BassanoBassano, who painted country people as country people and let them keep their hands and feet.Gallerie dell’Accademia, VeniceThe Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice.Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice
Roman Lectionary
GospelLuke 2:15-20Lk 2:15-20
Second ReadingTitus 3:4-7Ti 3:4-7
First ReadingIsa. 62:11-12Is 62:11-12
Responsorial PsalmPs. 97:1+6, 11-12Ps 97:1+6, 11-12

Overview & Insights

“Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)

The shepherds do what the angels do not: they decide. “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened” (v. 15), where the word rendered “thing” is rhema, ordinarily a spoken word, a Semitism that makes the message and the event one. What they find is the sign exactly as given, a child lying in a feeding trough, with no further wonder attached to it. They then become the first evangelists of the Gospel, making known what had been told them (v. 17), and all who hear them wonder, the reaction Luke also records at 1:63 and 2:33. Against that public astonishment he sets Mary’s interior response, treasuring the words and turning them over, which he repeats at the end of the chapter (2:51) as a bracket around the infancy material. The shepherds return glorifying God, closing the circle opened by the angelic song of 2:14.

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Commentary

Commentary on Luke 2:[1-7] 8-20Commentary on Lk 2:[1-7] 8-20 Working Preacher

Luther Seminary commentary for the Christmas Dawn readings, the Lutheran voice on the shepherds returning glorifying God.

Enduring Word Bible Commentary Luke Chapter 2Enduring Word Bible Commentary Lk Chapter 2 Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's verse-by-verse evangelical exposition of the shepherds and Mary treasuring these things in her heart.

Luke 2:15 CommentariesLk 2:15 Commentaries BibleHub

Classic aggregated commentary (Barnes, Gill, Meyer, Ellicott) on the shepherds' journey to Bethlehem.

Luke 2 CommentaryLk 2 Commentary Precept Austin

Deep verse-by-verse study notes gathering many conservative scholars on Luke 2.

Bishop Barron on the Nativity in Luke's GospelBishop Barron on the Nativity in Lk's Gospel Word on Fire · Bishop Barron

Bishop Robert Barron unfolds the subversive Catholic reading of Luke's nativity for preachers and hearers.

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) Mass at Dawn Loyola Press · Sunday Connection

Loyola Press Sunday Connection background, reflection questions, and family prayer keyed to the Dawn Mass gospel.

Background & Word Study

Luke 2:15 InterlinearLk 2:15 Interlinear BibleHub

Greek text word by word with parsing for the shepherds' saying to one another and Mary pondering (symballousa).

BibleProject: Gospel of Luke Overview (Luke 1-9)BibleProject: Gospel of Lk Overview (Lk 1-9) BibleProject

Animated literary overview placing the nativity within Luke's design for the first half of the gospel.

The Church Fathers

Catena: Luke 2Catena: Lk 2 Catena

Patristic and medieval comment chained verse by verse (Ambrose, Bede, Cyril) on the shepherds and Mary.

Worship & Prayers

The Twelve Days of Christmas EWTN

Explains the Mass at Dawn as the traditional 'Shepherds' Mass,' reflecting on the shepherds going eagerly to the crib.

Podcast

Stream Christmas Mass with Bishop Barron Word on Fire

Word on Fire's video stream of the Christmas Mass, the audio/video complement to the Dawn Gospel.

Art & Music

Nativity and Adoration of the Shepherds Web Gallery of Art

Bartolo di Fredi's panel shows the shepherds kneeling before the manger, exactly the scene of Luke 2:15-20.

Study Hub

Christmas New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia

Background on the origin and development of the Christmas Masses, including the dawn office at Bethlehem's shepherds' feast.

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