It is nearly midnight when Father Georges Daaboud, from the Latin Patriarchate, announces in solemn tones, the great and joyful news as he sings: “the whole world being at peace, Jesus Christ, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desiring to sanctify the world by his merciful coming, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, and nine months having passed since his conception, was born here in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary. Today is the nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh..”
At these words brother John Bomah ofm lifts the veil, which covered the front of the altar. On top of the large Book of the Gospels, upon which are written the words “and the Word was made flesh,” the statue of the Child Jesus appears, enthroned in humility.
His Beatitude the Patriarch, Mgr. Fouad Twal, kneels down in front of the divine Child, while the big bells of the church begin to sway wildly and echo their melodious voices, and the singing of the Glory to God announces that it is Christmas in Bethlehem.
Thousands have come here to experience this moment. The lucky ones participate in the solemn Mass in the church of Saint Catherine, which is transmitted on TV. Others flock to the Shepherds’ Field in Beit Sahour, or in the Nativity Grotto, at the altar of the Manger, or in front of the altars in the Grottoes of Saint Joseph and Saint Jerome. All night long, in all these places, Masses are celebrated uninterruptedly, and will continue to be celebrated in this way even tomorrow. While the Patriarch celebrates in Arabic for the faithful of the parish, the pilgrims come and go in the Church of the Nativity and in the Grotto to gather for a moment of prayer.
It is Christmas in Bethlehem, this very moment. In his homily the Patriarch reminds us of the importance of this night: “On that night, Christ divides history into two parts: since then, there is a before Him and an after Him. That which was impossible before Him, becomes possible. We celebrate today that blessed night that changed the course of history, hearts full of joy. We who come from different countries, some nearby and others far off, like the shepherds, we surround the Child in the Grotto this night in order to adore Him and thank Him for having illuminated our history through His Incarnation.
Welcome to this divine Child! Welcome to the Christmas message and the joy of Christmas and the Christmas presents which bring back the smile to the faces of both the little and the big. This new Child is the fruit of the love of the Eternal Father for humankind, a love which desires for us more than we desire for ourselves. It wants a peace that we have lost, a loss to which we have resigned ourselves; mutual love which no longer exists to the point that it has disappeared even from our vocabulary; respect and dignity, so often battered by maltreatment, by insults and the spilling of blood.
On this night, the silence of the grotto will be even louder than the voice of the canons and submachine guns. The silence of the grotto gives life to those whose voice has been suffocated by tears and who have sought refuge in silence and impotence.
(…) Bethlehem, city of peace, of divine love and of reconciliation. The one who could heal the sick and resurrect the dead is also able to gather people in peace and security. The one who taught love, justice, equality, is also able to make of the poor grotto a school of reconciliation, where leaders and those responsible for the destinies of peoples are taught what good, what justice and what stability mean.
(…) On this blessed night, we launch an appeal for pardon to all nations, all individuals and families. May God who forgives us our sins, give us the courage, the power and the love to pardon those who have trespassed against us.
- Peace to Bethlehem and all the inhabitants of the Holy Land.
- Peace to all pilgrims and visitors.
- Peace to all who seek peace.”
The eyes of the world are turned towards Bethlehem, and Bethlehem offers its heart to the entire world. It is Christmas in Bethlehem, here and now.
A Happy Christmas to all!
Mab
At these words brother John Bomah ofm lifts the veil, which covered the front of the altar. On top of the large Book of the Gospels, upon which are written the words “and the Word was made flesh,” the statue of the Child Jesus appears, enthroned in humility.
His Beatitude the Patriarch, Mgr. Fouad Twal, kneels down in front of the divine Child, while the big bells of the church begin to sway wildly and echo their melodious voices, and the singing of the Glory to God announces that it is Christmas in Bethlehem.
Thousands have come here to experience this moment. The lucky ones participate in the solemn Mass in the church of Saint Catherine, which is transmitted on TV. Others flock to the Shepherds’ Field in Beit Sahour, or in the Nativity Grotto, at the altar of the Manger, or in front of the altars in the Grottoes of Saint Joseph and Saint Jerome. All night long, in all these places, Masses are celebrated uninterruptedly, and will continue to be celebrated in this way even tomorrow. While the Patriarch celebrates in Arabic for the faithful of the parish, the pilgrims come and go in the Church of the Nativity and in the Grotto to gather for a moment of prayer.
It is Christmas in Bethlehem, this very moment. In his homily the Patriarch reminds us of the importance of this night: “On that night, Christ divides history into two parts: since then, there is a before Him and an after Him. That which was impossible before Him, becomes possible. We celebrate today that blessed night that changed the course of history, hearts full of joy. We who come from different countries, some nearby and others far off, like the shepherds, we surround the Child in the Grotto this night in order to adore Him and thank Him for having illuminated our history through His Incarnation.
Welcome to this divine Child! Welcome to the Christmas message and the joy of Christmas and the Christmas presents which bring back the smile to the faces of both the little and the big. This new Child is the fruit of the love of the Eternal Father for humankind, a love which desires for us more than we desire for ourselves. It wants a peace that we have lost, a loss to which we have resigned ourselves; mutual love which no longer exists to the point that it has disappeared even from our vocabulary; respect and dignity, so often battered by maltreatment, by insults and the spilling of blood.
On this night, the silence of the grotto will be even louder than the voice of the canons and submachine guns. The silence of the grotto gives life to those whose voice has been suffocated by tears and who have sought refuge in silence and impotence.
(…) Bethlehem, city of peace, of divine love and of reconciliation. The one who could heal the sick and resurrect the dead is also able to gather people in peace and security. The one who taught love, justice, equality, is also able to make of the poor grotto a school of reconciliation, where leaders and those responsible for the destinies of peoples are taught what good, what justice and what stability mean.
(…) On this blessed night, we launch an appeal for pardon to all nations, all individuals and families. May God who forgives us our sins, give us the courage, the power and the love to pardon those who have trespassed against us.
- Peace to Bethlehem and all the inhabitants of the Holy Land.
- Peace to all pilgrims and visitors.
- Peace to all who seek peace.”
The eyes of the world are turned towards Bethlehem, and Bethlehem offers its heart to the entire world. It is Christmas in Bethlehem, here and now.
A Happy Christmas to all!
Mab