Christmas, 24 December 2003 1. "For to us a child is born, to us a son
is given" (Is 9:5). The words of the Prophet Isaiah, proclaimed in the
First Reading, contain the truth of Christmas, which together we re-live this
night. A Child is born. In appearance, just another of the world’s many
children. A Child is born in a stable in Bethlehem. He is born in a condition of
extreme deprivation: poor among the poor. But the One who is born is "the
Son" par excellence: Filius datus est nobis. This Child is the Son of God,
of one being with the Father. Foretold by the Prophets, he was made man by the
power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of a Virgin, Mary. When, shortly, we shall
sing in the Creed "... et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine
et homo factus est," we shall all kneel. We shall meditate in silence on
the mystery which is accomplished: "Et homo factus est!" The Son of
God comes among us, and we receive him on our knees. 2. "The Word became
flesh" (Jn 1:14). On this extraordinary night the Eternal Word, the
"Prince of Peace" (Is 9:5), is born in the lowly and cold cave of
Bethlehem. "Be not afraid," says the angel to the shepherds, "for
to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the
Lord" (Lk 2:10-11). Like the unnamed and fortunate shepherds, let us too
run to meet the One who has changed the course of history. In the austere
poverty of the crib we contemplate "a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and
lying in a manger" (Lk 2:12). In the vulnerable and weak newborn babe who
cries in the arms of Mary, "the grace of God has appeared for the salvation
of all men" (Tit 2:11). Let us pause in silence and worship! 3. O Child,
who willed to have for your crib a manger; O Creator of the universe, who
stripped yourself of divine glory; O Redeemer, who offered your vulnerable body
in sacrifice for the salvation of humanity! May the radiance of your birth light
up the night of the world. May the power of your message of love thwart the
proud snares of the evil one. May the gift of your life make us understand ever
more clearly the worth of the life of each human being. Too much blood is still
being shed on the earth! Too much violence and too many conflicts trouble the
peaceful coexistence of nations! You come to bring us peace. You are our peace!
You alone can make of us "a people purified" and belonging to you for
ever, a people "zealous for good deeds" (Tit 2:14). 4. For to us a
Child is born, to us a son is given! What an unfathomable mystery is hidden in
the humility of this Child! We would like to touch him; we would like to embrace
him. You, Mary, who keep watch over your all-powerful Son, grant us your eyes to
contemplate him with faith; grant us your heart to worship him with love. In his
simplicity, the Child of Bethlehem teaches us to rediscover the real meaning of
our existence; he teaches us "to live sober, upright and godly lives in
this world" (Tit 2:12). 5. O Holy Night, so long awaited, which has united
God and man for ever! You rekindle our hope. You fill us with ecstatic wonder.
You assure us of the triumph of love over hatred, of life over death. For this
reason we remain absorbed in prayer. In the luminous silence of your Nativity,
you, Emmanuel, continue to speak to us. And we are ready to listen to you. Amen!