The Birth of Jesus
1. When God became man in order to instruct and redeem the lost and erring human race, the gesture would have been deprived of its real significance if He had chosen to be born in a palace, surrounded by the passing splendour of worldly glory and wealth.
It would have been meaningless not only for God, but also for us, if He had abandoned the imperishable glory of Heaven and the infinite wealth of everlasting happiness in order to assume the kind of earthly grandeur which in His eyes is but a vanishing cloud. What we needed was to learn the way of humility and of detachment from worldly things, which can so easily lead us to forget the supernatural. We needed someone to come and sanctify suffering, which purifies and elevates the soul. We needed someone to appease divine justice on our behalf and to teach us that the way of the cross is the only one which can lead to Heaven. This was why the Eternal Word of God became a poor and lowly infant, choosing a stable rather than a palace, and the little village of Bethlehem in Judea in preference to the imperial city of Rome. He wished His extreme poverty and deprivation to be His first lesson to mankind.
2. Like the simple shepherds, let us prostrate ourselves with faith and with love before the manger. Let us offer as our gifts our good resolutions; let us offer our hearts and ask God to change them and make them entirely His forever.
Quite suddenly, the darkness of the night and the wretchedness of the cave were illuminated by a bright light from Heaven. While men were unaware of, or indifferent to, the miraculous event which had taken place, bands of Angels descended from Heaven and sang: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will.” (Luke 2:13-14) Joseph bent over the divine Infant and silently adored Him, while the Blessed Virgin knelt at His feet in loving contemplation.
3. Let us, too, learn to adore and love Him as His Mother and foster-father did. Let us love Him, that is, with a contemplative love, not distracted by worldly affairs; with a humble love, because we owe everything to Him, without whom we are nothing but miserable sinners; with a sympathetic love, because we know that He suffered for us and spent Himself for our eternal salvation; and lastly, with a love which is entirely dedicated. After all, if He loved us so much that He gave Himself entirely for us, it is only just that in our love for Him we should sacrifice ourselves completely. All our thoughts, affections, and actions should be offered to Him with purity of intention and with a firm resolution of living in accordance with His holy will.
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