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The main gate of Norcia raises the eyes of visitors for its imposing beauty and for the written inscription above it: VETUSTA NURSIA. But the word vetustas, in itself, is ambiguous. It can have a positive meaning—the antique and privileged origins of our town—and, in a moral sense, a negative meaning: old age, fatigue. In this historic moment, our society experiences the vetustas in this negative sense. Everything seems old. Is it possible that there is anything really new? Even in the Bible, we find these sentiments, expressed in the unforgettable way by the author of Ecclesiastes, who—cynical and tired—says: “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity…there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said ‘see, this is new’?” (This is a rhetorical question, and the response is naturally “No”). The Preacher continues: “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccles 1:1;9-10). There is a chance that we arrive at Christmas with similar sentiments; in fact, many have experienced the vetustas and the weight of life.
But Holy Scripture and the liturgy of tonight communicate something entirely different. In the book of Revelation, the Lord proclaims: “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev 21:5). What are the new things at Christmas? Not just the same old celebrations—even if they are always welcome—but things really are new. If we mediate well on the contents of this feast, we will discover new things!
- First of all, God acts, and does things never heard of before. The Father begets the Son before the world began, outside of time, as the Introit says: Dominus dixit ad me: Filius meus es tu, ego hodie genui te. You are my son, today I have begotten you (Ps 2:7). Or in the Communion chant: ex utero ante luciferum genui te. From the womb before the day star I have begotten you (Ps 109:3). In this poetic language of the Psalms, the Bible says the pre-existence of the Son of God before the creation of the world, before the formation of our small reality, so loved, however limited. The birth of the Son of God before all ages is a new thing!
- Then, there is a second birth in time. The first reading says: “Apparuit gratia Dei Salvatoris nostri: For the grace of God our Savior has appeared to all men (Tit 2:11), and again: Apparuit humanitas Salvatoris nostri Dei (Tit 3:4) with a play on words: when the “humanitas” of our Lord appeared, which is to say at the same time “the goodness of God” and “the humanity of God” in the sense of the incarnation. It’s precisely in this sense that the Gospel describes the birth of Christ: “And it came to pass that when they were there, her days were accomplished that she should be delivered…” (Lk 2:6-7). The guarantee that the Child Jesus is the same Son of God, firstborn of all creation, is precisely the virginity of Mary, since, as the Angel said to Joseph: “for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 1:20). The birth of God in time, therefore, is a completely new thing!
- There is another unexpected novelty. “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14) with a well-defined objective: ut nos redimeret: in order to redeem us. The image used is that of slavery. If a member of my family were captured and sold into slavery, I would collect enough money to redeem him, even if the price were very high; I would redeem him at any cost. And this is how God has dealt with us, paying an exorbitant price. As the Easter proclamation says: “How boundless your merciful love! To ransom a slave you gave away your Son.” Christ, paying the boundless price of his very own blood, has redeemed us, taking us from being a slave to the status of adopted children, not only that, but the Son of God has taken upon himself our human nature to make us partakers of his divine nature. This is an admirabile commercium mentioned in the liturgy—a truly wonderful exchange. You see, the reason for the birth of Christ is indeed an extraordinary novelty.
- There remains a last novelty which touches us more directly. The prayer after communion says: “Grant to us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that we, who rejoice in celebrating by these Mysteries, the Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, may by worthy lives, deserve to attain unto fellowship with Him. What is the novelty expressed in this prayer? Dignis conversationibus—a new manner of life.
In other words, the celebration of Christmas should change something inside us, it should transform us—at least a little—it should inspire new sentiments, new attitudes. It should restore our faith in the God who has made all things new.
In the darkness of our vetustas, a new light has appeared. A nova lux, as the Preface says. May this light renew our life in a way that in shedding the old man, we put on the new man (cf. Eph 4:22-24). What an extraordinary gift! If we can experience this novelty, it will truly be a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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