CHRISTMAS 2003, Fr. Alberto Eronti. These last days media insisted on the possibility of an attack to some strategic center of Christianity. The Italian government took seriously reports of intelligence services, and today we can see in Rome a police an unusual quantity of police officers and safety forces guarding places that constitute the whole symbol to our faith. The media speak of "Rome, armored city", which led me to remembering the expression that was used towards the end of the Second World War, when the Allied Forces were advancing towards the eternal city: "Rome, open city".

These two indicated expressions have the same sense: to protect. Yesterday, "Open City" to protect the city and its inhabitants; today, "armoured city" to the same reason. The common denominator to both expressions? Fear. It continues to be a surprise the coincidence of the evangelical texts of the Masses on Fridays and of Saturday before Christmas: the Annunciations of the birth of John the Baptist and of Jesus of Nazareth. In both the carrier of the divine message formulates the same words: "Do not be afraid". The same verb for two different attitudes: dread, in Zachary; surprise, in Mary. The same word produces two different reactions: dread and suspicion, in the priest; surprise and opening in the young woman of Nazareth. The dread and the suspicion "armoured" the heart of Zachary, the surprise created openness in Mary. The first one remained mute, while she sang of the mercy of her God.

Waiting for the Child

Many are asking the same questions as last year: how is one living in Rome this end of the Advent and the already close Christmas? Good question!, I said to myself. What I wrote is a part of the response. One year ago, what was experienced were the "winds of war", today it is a "breeze of worry". I call it a "breeze" because it is something subtle, less perceptible than the "wind". There is not, as last December, a come and go of persons visiting Pope John Paul II in what was his enormous effort for the peace. Today everything is "more "normal", but there is a strange sensation of sense of expectancy: the Child is waited, wishing that there does not happen anything that could immerse us a scenario of horror. We beg and hope that it should be like that.

Open or closed

These two attitudes can establish also in our heart: opening or closing. The difference is essential, since God comes to dwell in the heart of every person of good will; he comes to sit down to the familiar table; he comes offering us the gift of his peace, which is founded on his love that is stronger than the affront. God comes and is going to call; if we open to him his words will be fulfilled: " I am close to the door and call; if someone hears my voice and opens to me, I will enter his house and we will have dinner together" (Rev.3, 20). God at the table of mankind; any time we don't have the heart armored, but opened to the Mystery. I say 'mystery', because the mania of modern people is to want to teach God how he must do things, forgetting that it is God the one that comes, not we the ones that go. And God comes as a child. On having written this, I cannot help thinking about Moses and his request God: " Show me your glory" (Ex-33, 20); and only one gave him to "see" the "back" of the glory (Ex. 33, 23).

Now the glory he has become a Child! The glory has the face of the Child! This is the stupor that leaves us surprised, that God comes this way, that he comes with his logic, not with ours. That he comes to a convulsed world and a society, that comes as Child. That he comes as Child and continues looking for a home like then.

Love is stronger

Again, the days are fulfilled ( see Lc.2, 6), again will will wish to all the neighbors and to the distant ones: HAPPY CHRISTMAS!, which means to pass on the Good News of the love that is stronger, that God is strong becoming a Child, embracing the smallness and the helplessness and that we have a motive for continuing to wait and to hope. In the Christmas night faith will give us the ability to get the gift of the Father through Maria. The gift of his dear and favorite Child, that also we be his dear and favorite children.

From the Cor Ecclesiae Shrine, and from the ground of Belmonte, where the Bethlehem Matri Ecclesiae already begins to grow, as the Father of the Family longed for, I wish all a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS and a NEW full YEAR of achievements in the Covenant of Love.

Fr. Alberto E. Eronti - for schoenstatt.de

Rome, on December 20, 2003