THE MYSTERY OF CHRISTMAS IS ENCLOSED IN A SILENCE THAT SPEAKS TO THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY

By entering the silence of Bethlehem and penetrating the Gospel with love and contemplation, we therefore see something beautiful and new about God and about us, so we know Him better, but also ourselves, who we are, what mystery dwells within us, what meaning and value our life and that of the entire universe has.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fashion born in the United States of celebrating the sex of the unborn child in advance quickly spread to us too. But none baby shower O gender reveal party for the Holy Child Jesus.

More seriously and even more deeply in the Christmas of the Lord, especially in the three liturgies that distinguish this Solemnity, something of the mystery of God and man is revealed starting from the source one, source of all historical mysteries, which is the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God. Let us therefore read the passage proclaimed in the Christmas Eve Mass, according to the Gospel of Luke:

"In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be of the whole earth. This first census was made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone went to be enrolled, each in their own city. Joseph also, from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, went up to Judea to the city of David called Bethlehem: in fact, he belonged to the house and family of David. He had to be registered together with Maria, his bride, she was pregnant. While they were in that place, time came for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, She wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the accommodation. There were some shepherds in that region who, spending the night outdoors, they stayed up all night guarding their flock. An angel of the Lord presented himself to them and the glory of the Lord surrounded them with light. They were filled with great fear, But the angel said to them,: “Don't be afraid: there, you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people: today, the City of David, is born for you a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. This sign for you: You find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, placed in a manger”. And immediately a multitude of the heavenly army appeared with the angel, who praised God and said: “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace to men, that he loves”» (LC 2,1-14).

This well-known and exciting text proclaimed as the Gospel in the Christmas Eve Mass leaves one somewhat disappointed upon first reading. We would expect, at least from the main characters, a few words, an explanation or expression of their feelings. Instead they remain silent and the whole scene is surrounded by great silence. Joseph is silent as he ascends from the unknown Nazareth to the most famous and significant city of David called Bethlehem, due to the census. But it says nothing about itself, of what he feels or perceives. Maria remains silent, his bride, who accompanies her on the journey and silently gives birth to her first-born son. We are not told his feelings, what was moving in his heart. Except that she gives birth outside the hotel, forced to place the Child in a poor animal's crib. E, naturally, no cries of the newborn Baby are heard. The overall scene narrated presents a whole series of humble gestures punctuated by silence. While in the background are projected the actions of the power of Caesar Augustus who wants the census to reach the most distant provinces. Luke too, the evangelist writer, does not make any comments, as if to underline an extreme measure even in the poverty of expressive means. Out of the scene the shepherds emerge, frightened by the appearance of an angel, they too are struck dumb. Only the heavenly messenger breaks the silence by announcing the great joy: «A Savior is born for you, who is Christ the Lord". And then the multitude of the celestial army praises God, proclaiming his glory in the heavens and peace on the earth of men.

Silence is the key, as every mystery of God springs from it and takes us back to it. Because it's not easy, nor easy to say God, who He is or describe Him, silence is then there to signal that certain realities must first of all be contemplated and adored for a long time. This helps us understand the apparent and striking contrast between the silent poverty of the central scene of the Gospel passage and the magnificence of what is around it. It contains the mystery of God that must be contemplated and adored.

And it is in this context that it reveals itself, that is, the veil is lifted on the singular manifestation of God, whose first characteristic is undoubtedly the ability to surprise. Who would have expected a baby from God? What a superabundant message He brings, what light it propagates? The Gospel passage seems to invite us to go further, beyond modest appearances, to discover the divine riches that rest not in the noise, be it the announcement of the census of the time, or everything that today creates an audience or multiplies followers, but rather in the "subtle silent voice" that Elijah experienced (1Re 19, 12), in which God reveals himself to the soul capable of meditation and contemplation of the scriptures and the mystery contained therein.

Below, a second aspect reveals the evangelical scene about God. And that is that He is qualified by some paradoxes, from truths apparently beyond common sense and which the world carefully avoids. They could be expressed like this: before God the small often appears more important than the large, the poor more than the rich, the despised more than the important, the individual more than the multitude. Moreover, poverty is not the worst evil, since God permitted it for his Son; it's still, what on earth is loneliness and humiliation, may be great and glorious in heaven.

We notice, in tal modo, to gradually enter into a "Christian theology and anthropology", in a new way of understanding God and man. In that habit, first mentioned, of knowing how to go further we see that in the mystery of Bethlehem where everything is apparently secret and silence, God speaks to man in a new way and manifests himself as the One who ordinarily is on the side of the smallest and poorest; as someone whose omnipotence is shown first and foremost in the goodness of tenderness, in reliability and closeness to the simplest and most humble. We thus understand that we are dear to him, we are fragile, weak and poor children of Adam. Everything in the evangelical scene makes a single great announcement full of meaning emerge from the silence: God loves us freely, before we love him and for our good he comes to meet us.

We too enter the silence of Bethlehem and by penetrating the Gospel with love and contemplation we therefore see something beautiful and new about God and about us, so we know Him better, but also ourselves, who we are, what mystery dwells within us, what meaning and value our life and that of the entire universe has.

In the adorable mystery of Christmas let's realize that we are not alone, that the Lord came for us and remains with us. Even though we hear the roars of war all around, the message He brings is that of joy and peace. A divine and not ephemeral peace that comes from Him and passes through people's experiences, of nations and peoples.

Recently a new idea has been put forward in theological reflection that deals with the mystery of the incarnation. It is called "deep incarnation", a "radical". This is a recent theological sensitivity interested in rediscovering the inclusive and salvific scope of the incarnation for the entire creation. Without taking anything away from the new acquisitions, Let's remember that many have discussed this topic, especially the holy fathers since ancient times. And among these Saint Ambrose who commented on the writing of the evangelist Luke with these words:

«It is so that you could become a perfect man that Jesus wanted to be a little child. He was bound in swaddling clothes so that you would be freed from the bonds of death. He was in the stable to place you on the altars. He came to earth so that you could reach the stars, and he found no room in that inn so that you would have many homes in heaven. Even though he was rich, he became poor for us, so that we might become rich in his poverty. This indigence of God is therefore my wealth and the weakness of the Lord is my strength. He preferred privations for himself to give abundantly to everyone. The crying of his childhood in wails is a wash for me, those tears have washed away my sins".

Merry Christmas to all.

From the Hermitage, 25 December 2024

Christmas Day

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