Christmas is always doing good to others

The notable mystic and founder of the Passionist order, St Paul of the Cross, once said: “Celebrate the feast of Christmas every day, even every moment in the interior temple of your spirit, remaining like a baby in the bosom of the heavenly Father, where you will be reborn each moment in the Divine Word, Jesus Christ”. The crux of St Paul’s understanding for living the mystery of Christmas daily is to “remain like a baby”. In what sense?

For Jesus the sole condition for membership in God’s kingdom is the embracing of a childlike attitude. “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18, 3-4). Thus, according to Jesus, treating others, especially children, with a childlike heart is tantamount to receiving Him personally in them. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me” (Matt 18, 5).

The Bible speaks positively of babes. The latter extol the grandeur and power of God’s mighty name in the face of the defeated enemy. In fact, Psalm 8 says: “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth! Thou whose glory above the heavens is chanted by the mouth of babes and infants, thou hast founded a bulwark because of thy foes, to still the enemy and the avenger” (Ps 8, 1-2). In rebuking the chief priests and the scribes, Jesus noted that out of the mouth of babes and sucklings perfect praise comes up to God’s holy throne (see Matt 21, 16). Moreover, by the Father’s will, babes are the privileged recipients of His secrets. That is why Jesus joyfully declared: “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will” (Matt 11, 25-26).

Being a child at heart is the only criteria for one to be selected by the Son as God’s close confidant. “All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matt 11, 27).

The sure hope of humanity’s future resides in rediscovering and reacknowledging once again God’s humble incarnation and let itself be changed by it. During his homily at Midnight Mass of last year, Pope Benedict XVI accentuated this important reality. “God’s sign, the sign given to the shepherds and to us, is not an astonishing miracle. God’s sign is his humility. God’s sign is that he makes himself small; he becomes a child; he lets us touch him and he asks for our love. How we would prefer a different sign, an imposing, irresistible sign of God’s power and greatness! But his sign summons us to faith and love, and thus it gives us hope: this is what God is like. He has power, he is Goodness itself. He invites us to become like him. Yes indeed, we become like God if we allow ourselves to be shaped by this sign; if we ourselves learn humility and hence true greatness; if we renounce violence and use only the weapons of truth and love”.

Christmas daily invites us to be God’s loving and humbling compassion for others. Listen to Mother Teresa’s witness: “I experienced many human weaknesses, many human frailties, and I still experience them. But we need to use them. We need to work for Christ with a humble heart, with the humility of Christ. He comes and uses us to be His love and compassion in the world in spite of our weaknesses and frailties.”

In the words of the Servant of God, Fr Mariano of Turin, remaining like babes in Christ means putting into practice the following wise counsel: “It is not evil that makes evil; it is the not doing good that makes the evil grow. There is only one way of fighting the evil: to do good”.

Let us constantly live Christmas by doing always good to others!