Homily

The liturgy immerses us again into the mystery of the birth of that Child "wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." These days we can make our own the words of the Prologue of John when he exclaims: "We have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth." Yes, we too have seen the glory of that child. Of course, we had to get on the road, as did those shepherds. We too had to listen to the words of the angel and leave our flocks, our laziness, our habits, the egocentrism that is glued to us. This is what Mary and Joseph did, as they had to go from Galilee to Bethlehem. Even the wise men let themselves be guided by the star to reach that child and worship him.
But there is a path that precedes us, a journey that comes first, that of God himself. Yes, long before us, the Lord started to walk and faced a trip in order to come among men and women, to reach the extreme periphery of the earth. The Word of God we have heard opens a glimpse on this trip of the Lord coming to us. It is a passionate journey, full of love, down to the lowest of men and women, to the more extreme periphery. He did not keep anything for himself. His only ambition was to be at our side to save us. The Book of Sirach speaks of Wisdom that "comes from the mouth of the Most High" and sustains all things. In the same way the Evangelist John states in the Prologue that: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God … and he came to what was his own... and lived among us." The Book of Sirach reminds us of God’s command to Wisdom: "Make your dwelling in Jacob, and in Israel receive your inheritance," and Wisdom remembers, "So I was established in Zion. Thus in the beloved city he gave me a resting-place." The little city of Zion and the modest nation of Jacob become the resting-place of God on earth.
We too, small and modest people, weak and sinful, were chosen by God so that His Word might come to live among us and we might become His people, the sanctuary of His Word. We are the place desired by God, the end of his journey, as it is written in the book of Sirach: "Thus in the beloved city he gave me a resting-place, and in Jerusalem was my domain. I took root in an honoured people, in the portion of the Lord, his heritage." Yes, we have become the people of God, chosen by grace, called "the beloved city" by God and his "glorious people" to communicate to all people His Word to the most extreme peripheries. It is a lofty task that pulls us away from our small enclosures to insert us in the path which God himself has started. This Christmas we are again given this lofty vocation.
With the apostle Paul we bless the Father in heaven because He "chose us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. It is a choice the Lord made; it goes beyond any merit of ours. He wants us to be "holy and blameless," that is "children," like Jesus. At Christmas we live this rebirth. The Child needs to be born within the heart of each of us. A wise, old Christian said, "even if Christ was born one thousand times in Bethlehem but not in your heart, you would be lost for ever." Rebirth occurs every time we receive the Word of God in our hearts. Yes, every time we listen to it with humility and availability it is Christmas. In the Word we are reborn, as the Evangelist John writes: "to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us." The Word of God is at the origin of our being children of God and brothers and sisters; it generates a new life and becomes the strength that allows us to overcome the borders of evil and to be witnesses to love and peace. What does it mean, "he gave power to become children of God"? It means that the Word makes of us children of God and members of this holy people, a people that becomes the sanctuary of the Gospel for the world. But there is a further power: those who are children of the Gospel, those who allow themselves to be regenerated by the Word of God, become in turn capable of generating life in others. Gregory the Great said that the Word grows in us as we read it. And the growth is not only for ourselves, but also to generate faith in others. There is therefore a maternal power given to all those who allow their hearts to be transformed by the Word. This is what happened to the shepherds after seeing that child. The evangelist notes that they told all what had been said to them, and all those who heard them were amazed by what they proclaimed. When the Word of God is heard, a nation of children is reborn. They then have power to transform the world, to change history, by freeing it from sin, sorrow and violence.
At Christmas and on this Sunday, the first page of the Gospel, that of the birth of Jesus who comes to make his dwelling among us, was opened and given to us. We can a start again from this first page; from it we can start writing our life again and grow, day after day, as Jesus child grew. If, day after day, we turn one page after another, of the little book of the Gospel and try to put it into practice, the saving love will grow within us and outside of us. In the year that lies before us, the Lord will faithfully give us the Gospel in the holy liturgy and in daily prayer. Let us not be afraid to welcome him! Let us not fear that word! It will not steal life, affections and joy. On the contrary, the Gospel gives anyone who welcomes it the new prophecy that the world needs so that love, peace and joy may grow everywhere.