It is a law of history that God always finds a superior solution to His original plans when these plans are frustrated by men’s failure to correspond.

Newsdesk (31/12/2022 7:30 PM, Gaudium Press) Authentic works of art lead even their own creators to be enchanted with them immediately after the last retouching. The great Michelangelo was a picturesque example, when he contemplated his famous Moses: the sculpture presented itself before his eyes with such human reality that it drew from his heart the famous exclamation: “Parla! Perché non parli?” Yes, all that remained was for that beautiful figure carved in marble to speak. But for that, an even more exquisite art would be needed, that of being able to transmit life itself.

This episode reminds us of another, similar and older one: the unsurpassable and perfect clay figure molded by God. Modelled with absolute precision, its Author was delighted to see it and, being infinitely more capable than Michelangelo, with a simple breath He infused it with human life: “So the Lord formed man of the clay of the earth, and breathed into his nostrils a breath of life, and man became a living being” (Gn 2:7). And if this were not enough, to consecrate God’s omnipotence, He also determined upon the creation of Eve: “Then the Lord God caused man to sleep soundly; and while he slept He took a rib from him and closed up his place with flesh. And from the rib which He had taken from the man the Lord God made a woman, and brought her to the man” (Gen 2:21-22).

However, our first parents sinned, and so they were expelled from paradise and were condemned to return to the dust from which they came. At first sight, God’s plan would seem to have been irreversibly frustrated, His work marred by ugliness. However, where sin abounds, grace abounds more (Rom 5:20). For this reason, God chose a divine solution which surpassed, exceedingly by far, every stain of sin: the Incarnation of His own Son.

He ushered in the age of grace

But to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God (Jn 1:12).

There are no words in the human vocabulary to sufficiently extol the countless and precious marvels granted to us on that Happy Night. In that sacrosanct moment, the Divine Child opened not only His little arms to us, but above all the possibility of sharing in His divine nature.

We call someone a son when he has the same nature as his father. Therefore, the children of rabbits are called rabbits, and the children of men are men. Therefore, the sons of God must be ‘gods’ as He is.

With what could we compare such a high reality and such an immense gift?

Some authors have drawn on examples from the vegetable kingdom to give us a clearer idea of this rich supernatural phenomenon, even if it is only a rough idea. If a branch of an orange tree is grafted to a pomegranate tree, the oranges will be born with all their own characteristics but will also have the colour and flavour of the pomegranate. God too, by means of an unsurpassable ‘grafting of grace’ in us, raises us to share in His divine nature.

This ineffable miracle begins in the manger, in Bethlehem. It is the mystery of the Redemption: our sins can be forgiven and, free from all guilt, we are reintegrated into the supernatural order.

Man of our own blood and our own race

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn 1:14a).

God’s infinite love for us was carried to such an extreme that He wished of His own free will to become incarnate. However, the Incarnation was only the first step on His path of predilection for us. He made Himself our daily companion, the friend of our existence. This love, being persistent, was not satisfied and wished to elevate us to the category of brothers.

And what has He done to that end?

God did not mold another puppet from clay to take flesh upon Him. If He had done so, He would not have our blood, He would not belong to our family, He would not be our brother. No, He was conceived by a Woman, and from Her He was born. Woman blessed among all women, holy and immaculate, unique and full of grace, Virgin and Mother, but, in short, daughter of Adam. Therefore Jesus, besides being the true Son of God, is also the Son of Man, of our blood and of our race.

God becomes accessible 

Philosophy teaches us that there is nothing in our intelligence which has not first passed through the senses. Hence, it is very difficult for us to know God. The very parables of the Divine Master try to encapsulate doctrine in figures and images in order to make the assimilation of a universe of ethical, moral and religious principles accessible to the human spirit. Man needs concrete knowledge in order to understand the spiritual. Hebrews 1:1-16 reveals to us the great miracle worked by Providence on that Happy Night:

“Many times and in many ways God spoke in time past to our fathers by the prophets; in these days which are the last, He has spoken to us through His Son” (Heb 1:1-2).

Thus, all the countless gifts with which God would regale humanity began their course in the cave of Bethlehem, brought by the Child God, covered not only by the starry cloak of night, but also by a veil of mystery. He suffers cold, He cries, and yet He is supremely happy. Fragile and almost destitute, He is nonetheless redeeming the whole world. He is not yet in the full use of His senses, and yet He rejoices in the joy of the beatific vision. All this because

“God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).

With our eyes fixed on the Child Jesus, and through the intercession of Mary and Joseph, let us give thanks for the countless benefits descended and infused upon us from that Blessed Night, and let us implore the grace of holiness. Thus, freed from all sin, let us spend not only a night, but a happy eternity.

By Jerome Siqueira

Extracted, with adaptations, from: CLÁ DIAS, João Scognamiglio. O inédito sobre os Evangelhos: comentários aos Evangelhos dominicais. Città del Vaticano-São Paulo: LEV-Instituto Lumen Sapientiæ, 2013, v. 1, p. 112-123.

Compiled by Roberta MacEwan