The
most thought-provoking reminder of the Lord's birth, about to take place, comes
from the Nativity scene which has already been set up in many homes.
The
simplicity of the Crib, however, is in strong contrast to that concept of Christmas which advertisements present
insistently. Even the beautiful tradition of exchanging
Christmas gifts between relatives and friends is under the influence of
consumerism, which risks obscuring the true meaning of Christ's birth. Indeed, this tradition of exchanging
gifts is to be understood in the perspective of God's gift to humanity in the person of Jesus, of which
our gifts in this celebration are a reflection and expression. It is all the
more important, for this reason, to favor actions that manifest solidarity and
openness toward the poor and needy.
Looking
at the Crib, our gaze is especially fixed on the Virgin and on Joseph, who
await the birth of Jesus…
…In
her, and in her most chaste spouse, we see realized the indispensable
conditions to prepare ourselves for Jesus' birth. In the first place, interior silence and prayer, which allow one to contemplate the
mystery that is commemorated. In the second place, the willingness to accept the will
of God, in whatever way it is
manifested.
The "yes" of Mary and Joseph
is all-encompassing and
involves their entire person: spirit, soul and body.
May
it be this way for each one of us! May Jesus, who in a few days will come,
making our Nativity scenes radiant with joy, find a generous welcome in every
Christian family, as was the case in Bethlehem on that holy night.
-Blessed
John Paul II, Angelus December 22, 2002.
No comments:
Post a Comment