A SAVIOR HAS BEEN BORN FOR US
Little by little we go about catching on. We’ve already succeeded in celebrating some wondrous feast days without knowing exactly their reason to be. We joyfully greet each other and don’t know why. Christmas is proclaimed and its motive is hidden. Nowadays many don’t remember where the heart of these feast days is. Why don’t we hear the «first announcement» of Christmas? The Gospel writer Luke wrote it in the 80th year AD.
According to the story, night has fallen. Suddenly a brightness envelopes some shepherds with its splendor. The Gospel writer says that it’s the «Glory of the Lord». The image is grandiose: the night remains illuminated. However the shepherds «are filled with fear». They aren’t afraid of the darkness, but of the light. That’s why the announcement begins with the words: «Don’t be afraid». We don’t need to be surprised. We prefer to live in the darkness. God’s light causes fear in us. We don’t want to live in the truth. Whoever doesn’t put more light and truth into their lives during these days won’t be celebrating Christmas.
The messenger continues: «Look, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people». The joy of Christmas isn’t just one joy among others. We mustn’t confuse it with just any wellbeing, satisfaction or enjoyment. It’s a «great» joy, unmistakable, that comes from the «Good News» of Jesus. That’s why it’s «for the whole people» and must reach above all those who suffer and live in sadness.
If now Jesus isn’t a «good news»; if his Gospel doesn’t say anything to us; if we don’t recognize the joy that only can come to us from God; if we reduce these feast days to enjoying each one our own well being or to nourishing a selfish religious joy, we will celebrate anything but Christmas.
The only reason to celebrate it is this: «Today has been born for you a Savior». That child hasn’t been born to Mary and Joseph. He’s not theirs. He’s everyone’s. He’s «the Savior» of the world. The only one in whom we can place our final hope. This world that we know isn’t the definitive truth. Jesus Christ is the hope that the injustice that now envelopes everything won’t last forever.
Without this hope there’s no Christmas. We will awaken our best feelings, enjoy homes and friendship, share moments of happiness. All that is good. Very good. But it still isn’t Christmas.
José Antonio Pagola
Translator: Fr. Jay VonHandorf
