“You, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me one who is to be ruler in Israel.” The mystery of Christmas teaches us to live the virtue of humility.
Both Advent and Christmas remind us of the sublime and divine event of God incarnate who made himself small to save us.
In the sublime fact of the Incarnation, we contemplate first of all the humble condition of the human being; a fragile and contingent being.
God came to visit us
Contemplating the Incarnation, we see God who came to visit us in our poor mortal flesh: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14). To dwell among us, the Divine Word chose to be born in Bethlehem. To dwell evokes a specific and defined space. Born in Bethlehem, Jesus manifested the greatness of the little town in Judah, insignificant from a geographical standpoint, chosen to be the Saviour’s birthplace. This is God’s logic – always surprising us – very well expressed in the words of the prophet: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel” (Mi 5:2).
Treatises on spirituality always highlight this indisputable and profound theological truth: humility is one of the most important elements of Christology. And the mystery of the Nativity in Bethlehem of Judah teaches us to live the virtue of humility. We are faced with a reality: “God is in our midst, He has taken on flesh and become one of us.”
Thus, “God with us” produces in the ecclesial community much more than a mere sentiment. It is, rather, the realization that God, in His “humility”, is in our midst.
Meaning and importance of the Nativity Scene
In the Incarnation, God’s grandeur and omnipotence are revealed in the fragility of the human creature. This is very well expressed in the beautiful Apostolic Letter A Wonderful Sign, written by Pope Francis to emphasize the meaning and importance of the Nativity Scene – so well fostered in the houses of the Heralds of the Gospel family.
In this Letter we read that “the Nativity Scene has invited us to ‘feel’ and ‘touch’ the poverty that God’s Son took upon himself in the Incarnation. Implicitly, it summons us to follow Him along the path of humility, poverty and self-denial that leads from the manger of Bethlehem to the Cross. It asks us to meet Him and serve Him by showing mercy to those of our brothers and sisters in greatest need (cf. Mt 25:31-46).”
Time of joy
Having present in our lives this timely reflection offered to us by Pope Francis, let us live this time of Advent and Christmas, dear Heralds of the Gospel, inspired by the example of the Lord. This is a time of joy, for a humble heart will always be joyful. It is a time of hope, for God always surprises us, transforming us with His merciful love and opening paths for us through His loving closeness.
I affectionately express to you my fraternal best wishes for a merry and blessed Christmas, with the desire that, together, in the coming year, we may continue to be assisted by the sweet and gentle power of the Spirit. ◊
