“With happy joy, indeed, did these shepherds hasten to see that which they had heard, and because they instantly sought the Savior with an ardent and faithful love, they merited to find Him whom they sought. But they also have shown by their words as well as by their deeds with what effort of mind the shepherds of intelligent flocks, yea, all the faithful must seek Christ…Having thrown off carnal desires, let us with all the desire of our mind go over to the heavenly Bethlehem…”
(Venerable Bede, Breviary excerpt)