OMELIE / Omelie EN

25 dic 2022

25/12/2022 – The Nativity of the Lord

25/12/2022 – The Nativity of the Lord

Mass during the Night IS 9,1-3.5-6 Psalm 95/96 TI 2,11-14 LK 2,1-14

Mass at Dawn IS 62,11-12 Psalm 96/97 TI 3,4-7 LK 2,15-20

Mass during the Day IS 52,7-10 Psalm 97/98 HEB 1,1-6 JN 1,1-18

Today God’s Word becomes concrete, visible, palpable. Ears are not enough to taking it in, the hands are not enough, the eyes are not enough, not even the heart is enough. In order to welcome this Word, and so to listen to God we need all the above, our whole being, and it is still not enough! Words could be a distraction, taking away space from the Word! If you have started with your time of silence, don’t mind these lines, continue with your listening and your contemplating.

The Word was made flesh and came to dwell among us: if I look for the Word, God’s Word, I do not have to go far, it is among us. It is here on earth that God makes known His desires and communicates His will and His consolations. I am looking around me, and I can see faces of men. What is God telling me? He tells me: I am here with them and for them, to love them. Can’t you see that men are people who need love? There are not only those who need a house, bread or clothes. Around you there are people who do not have anyone in their heart: you can see it from their cold empty stare, from their search for noise or empty words, from their hands only used to grab a cigarette or a cup of coffee, from their looking for movement and constant change. How much thirst and hunger around you! They are hungry and thirsty for Jesus: they do not know it, so today they use the word «Christmas» to continue deluding themselves. You should not day “Christmas”, instead you should say “the Nativity of the Lord”. He is the one who needs to come alive on your lips and in your eyes, so the people who cross your path today can run into someone who refers to Him!

Take the Child from His Mother’s arms: she gives Him to you happily. You do not deserve to hold Him, we know so, but the Mother hands Him to you anyway. Look at that baby who does not intimidate you, who appreciates you despite your situation of sinner, look at Him while He is not asking anything from you. Now it is easy for you to love Him, because He is not asking for anything at all from you. If you give Him something, a little bit of attention, a little bit of silence, this is only because you have always some goodness in you, gift from God since the beginning. Love Him, get attached to Him, make some effort for Him now He is a baby. It will be easier for you to listen to Him when He will start talking, when He will say things your ears are not used to hear. Love Him now, so when He will say to you “blessed the poor in spirit”, you will remember the crib, the poverty of His mother and the peace of his father, who cannot give him anything but poverty, poverty in terms of food and in terms of toys, and in terms of clothes. He will not be ashamed of the poverty He is welcomed into, because in that poverty He receives love and learns how to love.

Love Him now, lift Him to your cheeks to kiss Him, so you can continue to love Him when He will say “blessed the burdened”: then you will be able to carry your cross with serenity and bravery.

Love Him now, so you will love Him and take Him seriously when He will say “blessed the pure of heart”: then you will be happy to stop your impulses, not to follow your desires of affection, not to concede to the desire to be stroked by any person.

Love Him now, as long as He is a child, get attached to Him, so you will listen to Him when you will tell you: “show the other cheek”, and you will not hear anymore this word as strange: you will listen to Him when He will tell you: “pray without ceasing” and when He will surprise everyone by saying “invite the poor and the blind, crooked and paralytic, who do not have anything to give back to you”! Take Him in your arms now, so you will not run from Him when you will see Him crowned in thorns and, covered in spit, carrying the cross.

Look at His Mother with sympathy: her young face is lightened up by the light which comes from Him, a light which will shine through your eyes too to give hope to the world. Let the darkness be dispelled: you will say His name breaking through your shame and your fear. It’s the name of that Child which wins against that death which guides the fear to close the hearts so they might lose their life and die. Let’s say with me His name: Jesus! Welcome, Jesus! Jesus, here I am!