In the Christmas eve, we celebrate our faith and hope, which we celebrate during Advent. We found the beauty of Old Testament testimony, the prophecy culminating in John Baptist. We prepare ourselves for the incredible Encounter with the Savior, the Emmanuel, who is born as the Bible said. Indeed, we celebrate the Great JOY: the Word becomes Flesh, the Incarnation. In other words, we celebrate the event of divine Encounter, God encounter humanity. We also rejoice in the opportunity of repentance we had: to return to union with a merciful and forgiving God.
The sign of that Great Joy is the Encounter. During Advent, we have already listened to some joyful encounters, especially on Luke. I want to mention those glorious events: Luke 1: 39-43. First, Luke records: “Sometime after the coming of the Angel, Gabriel …” [Lk 1: 26-38]. The Encounter between Gabriel and Mary resulted in divine joy. Suddenly, Maria hurried to visit Elisabeth, her sister. That became the second Encounter. Elizabeth’s joy at Mary’s visit is vividly described: “For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy” [Lk 1:44] In the end, the joyful Elisabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, also expressed a profound testimony of faith about the Virgin Mary and her Womb: “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.”
Third, The Encounter between Jesus and John the Baptist. The meeting of Mary and Elizabeth, who are both pregnant, also means the Encounter between their ‘babies’ they carried.’ That event reminds us of John’s call to the missionary conversion and his prophecy of Jesus’ baptism by the Holy Spirit.
For me, Christmas signifies the Incarnation, the event of God becoming human, born in our midst: the reunion of God with us His people. Therefore, we should celebrate this Encounter with a great and true joy, which means full of repentance and sincerity to welcome Him.
Pope Francis invites us to live this culture as a Culture of Encounter. Accordingly, he says: “To speak of a “culture of encounter” means that we, as a people, should be passionate about meeting others, seeking points of contact, building bridges, planning a project that includes everyone. This becomes an aspiration and a style of life. [Fratelli Tutti 216]. This encounter becomes very clear on the nativity scene. Starting from God, God sends Gabriel to Mary. Next, Joseph Joseph takes Mary as his wife; Mary visits Elisabeth, Baby Jesus encounters John the Baptist spiritually. Finally, in Incarnation, God meets us, His beloved creatures.
So, let us make this culture of Encounter also ours. A new way of life in our respective lives, realizing that Jesus, a baby born Jesus, is the first to come out and meet us, the human beings of His creation. The Encounter brings joy and happiness.
I wish you all
Happy Merry Christmas
Buon Natale
RDHJ