At Christmas we are invited to understand the true meaning of Christ's birth.
It was a historical event. Mary "gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger" (Lk 2:7). This is the icon of Christmas: A tiny new-born in poor cloths in a lowly manger. Yet, there is so much to learn.
Undaunted by their exclusion from the inn, Mary and Joseph were happy to allow God to guide them towards their unforeseen and unfamiliar destination, even before that destination brought them the miracle of their new-born child.
When Jesus arrived, he did not upgrade their material comforts or accommodation. Yet, the rich dividend was no less real; it was of a different and a higher order. It was the gift that enabled their humble lives, and the lives of all who followed him since, to face up to the trials of life, to make a positive contribution to their community.
The Christian message, which, every year, from the silent grotto of Bethlehem spreads even to the most out-of-the-way corners of the earth, is very clear: Whoever has received from the bounty of God a greater share of goods, whether corporeal or external, or of the soul, has received them for a purpose, namely, that he employ them for his own perfection and, likewise, as a servant of Divine Providence, for the benefit of others.
The centuries and millennia pass by but the humble and quiet sign of Christmas remains valid. It is a sign of hope for the whole human family; a sign of peace for those suffering from conflicts in all their forms; a sign of freedom for the poor and oppressed; a sign of love and consolation for those who feel lonely and abandoned.
Freed of its consumerist and materialistic surroundings, Christmas can become an opportunity for welcoming, as a personal gift, the message of hope for the whole human family that emanates from the mystery of Christ's birth.
It is the message that inspires so many people in our community in their generous support, primarily through voluntary work and donations, to the many initiatives that enrich society in its efforts to reach and help people in need of human solidarity.
It is the message that should be driven home during this year's L-Istrina in its new most welcome form: An invitation, as a community and as individuals, to support the initiative's marvellous cause and donate money without the lure of gifts.
Each of us is called to become witnesses of such wonderful solidarity.
Jesus gave us the new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. He wants man to be changed for the better and enables us to be changed. This is why Christmas is a day of inner wonder and joy that expands throughout the universe. It invites us to recognise in the child Jesus the human face of God.
Christmas is a feast of love, a special kind of love that opens people up and lifts them from the despair of selfishness. It helps people everywhere rediscover various values such as the warmth of simplicity, goodness and friendship. It is up to us to draw from the power of Baby Jesus' victorious love.
No wonder Christmas is a universal celebration. No wonder even those who do not profess themselves to be believers can perceive in this annual Christian event something extraordinary and inspirational, something intimate that speaks to the heart.