“When they saw the star, they rejoiced greatly” (Matthew 2, 1-12)
The Christmas holidays make us happy. We are under the spell of this Child who knows how
to touch our hearts and revive our faith. In fact, everyone gathers at the manger, expressing
their joy at adoring this Child-God, who announces the wonders of the Father and lavishes
the Holy Spirit. The shepherds came. The Magi, whose popular piety has made them kings,
are rather seekers of truth, knowledge, and serenity. They scrutinize the stars to find
answers, to understand their place in the universe, and to participate in cosmic harmony.
They are looking for the Way to the Infinite, the Voice speaking to the heart. They seek the
Creator. They will find peace in this Child of Bethlehem. A star leads them, through their
culture and knowledge, to an ordinary stable without pomp. There, they discover the true
Star—the one that creates, leads, and dazzles. The rising Star brings the whole universe
together in the same adoration: the Creator makes Himself present and expresses all His
love. God among us finally allows Himself to be touched. Love is His name.
Dieu reveals Himself.
Would we have known God without His revelation, or would we still be asking ourselves
questions, perhaps inventing solutions? Indeed, humanity has always been searching for its
origins and the meaning of its existence. It has always sought to answer questions of
purpose and conscience. It seeks truth and, through it, serenity. All the world’s religions are
answers, primitive or elaborate, to these existential questions. God, therefore, had to reveal
Himself. He did so through a chosen people, His prophets, and finally through the Son (Eph
3). Anguish turns into hope, fear into joy, and questions find their answers. Life and light are
given. God reveals who He is: men seek to know who God is. It seems that this is still the
most asked question on the internet. Within us, the trace of the divine calls us, attracts us,
and elevates us. Creation questions us and leads us to recognize something greater than
ourselves. Science cannot answer the meaning and the why, but it points us on the path; it
explains the how and marvels at such harmony and coincidence. Only God could come and
tell us who He is. It took time, but we understood that He IS, that He is ONE, that He is
TRIUNE, that He is LOVE. From the first manifestation in Abraham to the momentous
moment of the Burning Bush, we have moved toward the reception of the Paschal Light in
Jesus Christ.
Men and women seek God’s identity, His consistency, and His relationship to humanity. It is
even a fundamental question for understanding how to approach Him. In us, this trace of the
divine calls us to love and be loved, helps us overcome our fear, and throws us into the arms
of the Father. Yes, God has revealed Himself to be LOVE and, therefore, a partner for true
communion between equals. Isn’t it great to move from fear to the serenity of Trinitarian love,
from submission to a balanced and filial relationship, from religious duty to the
gratuitousness of relationship? All of this in Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, the link
between Heaven and Earth, the Way, the Truth, and the Light. His Incarnation made it
possible. He re-established the relationship, His Resurrection obtained filial grace for us, and
His Spirit makes us cry out: “Abba,” in love.
Men seek God’s will to please Him and attract His favor. In us, this trace of the divine leads
us to adoration and communion. It is not a question of pleasing; it is a question of loving and,
therefore, of living, of existing, of communing. Our Christian rites and celebrations, while
responding to the anthropological needs of ritual, introduce us into a peaceful relationship, a
sought-after communion, and a unified adoration. We worship the Father through the Son in
the Spirit, we give thanks to God for life, love, and salvation, we become sons and daughters
in the Son through the Spirit of grace, and we offer ourselves with the Son. God’s plan is to
unite us to Him in Trinitarian communion—for eternity. The shepherds followed the angel’s
instruction. The Magi followed a star and found a Child. Could they have known that this
Child is the definitive revelation of God, the ultimate expression of His love, the magnificence
of His Being? Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, is God’s Gift to humanity, the Good News of
love, the Star that guides and gives meaning to our lives. Ultimate revelation, supreme
beauty—God with us! God manifests Himself.
Christmas reminds us that God has revealed Himself and that He has manifested Himself.
He has manifested Himself in our history and in our lives. Our spiritual life is transformed
because we cannot ignore such clarity. The Incarnation roots us in our humanity, the Cross
provides us with the hope of forgiveness, the Resurrection plunges us into our supernatural
dimension, and the Spirit propels us into the heart of the Trinity. It is up to us to welcome this
grace!
God reveals His plan
The Incarnation is a sublime stage in our spiritual life; it immerses us in the truth of our
humanity and makes it a path to Heaven. The One God became flesh and consecrated us to
Himself. It is the encounter and unity of the divine and the human, the possibility of
communion in Christ.
The Resurrection will be the final stage that grants grace; it makes us sons and daughters in
the Spirit of the Son. We enter into the heart of the Trinity, into authentic communion, into an
eternal face-to-face. It is the final and definitive stage that makes the impossible possible,
that divinizes humanity, and that unites us to God in respect for autonomy.
At Christmas, let us follow the Morning Star, Christ. With the shepherds, let us kneel. With
the Magi, let us set out. The path leads to Bethlehem, to a Child from our country who puts
us in touch with our divine home. We follow the star. It leads us to the Son, the revelation of
the Father and of the Spirit, in love. We will know the true Face of God through the innocent
smile of a Child, the Child of promise, the true Star. In our unstable world, we pray to the
Prince of Peace for peace and justice in our countries, especially in the Middle East. May we
all receive blessings and grace.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
- Aldo BERARDI, O.SS.T.
Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia