We are
celebrating the Vigil Mass of Christmas. Security reasons advised against
celebrating the Mass during the Night; but, since the liturgical norms allow it,
we have heard the readings of the Night Mass. I would like to highlight the
contrasts present in these readings: it will help us to grasp the meaning of
this celebration.
In the
first reading we find a contrast between light and darkness: “The people who
walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of
gloom a light has shone.” Christmas is a feast of light. It is not by chance
that we celebrate Christmas shortly after the winter solstice, when the days
are drawing out: light prevails over darkness. On this day, the ancient Romans
celebrated the Dies natalis Solis invicti, that is to say, the “Birthday
of the Unconquered Sun”. Christians transformed that pagan festival into the
solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the “Sun of
justice,” the light which conquers darkness.
In the
second reading there is another contrast between grace and godlessness: “The
grace of God has appeared (apparuit gratia Dei), saving all and training us to reject godless ways
and worldly desires.” Saint Paul explains to us what Isaiah meant when he was
saying that the people walked in darkness: they were godless; they lived in
sin. They did not change their ways on their own initiative—because they
realized that their ways were wrong—but rather because the grace of God
appeared. The Catechism tells us what is grace: “Grace is favor, the free
and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become
children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal
life” (# 1996). With the birth of the Son of God, this grace, which was
invisible, becomes visible, to save us and train us to reject godlessness and
worldly desires.
In the
gospel we encounter a different kind of contrast. At the beginning of the
passage, Luke, who is a good historian, provides the historical coordinates of
the birth of Jesus; so, he makes reference to the then emperor and governor,
Caesar Augustus and Quirinius. On the one hand, we have the great of that time,
who make their political decisions; on the other hand, we see two unknown and
poor persons, who experience not a little trouble to execute those decisions. There
is no room for them in the inn; the woman is with child, and is forced to give
birth inside a cave and to lay the child in a manger. Nobody notices the event;
only some shepherds go to visit those poor people, because alerted by an angel.
It was the most important event of history, but it took place in obscurity, in
poverty, in a far corner of the world. Only the poor, led by the grace of God,
were able to perceive it.
If we,
too, want to perceive this mysterious event, we should put ourselves in the
same position as the shepherds, ready to listen to the angel and welcome his
announcement: “I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all
the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who
is Christ the Lord.”
Q
