The Adoration of the Child Jesus is certainly a powerful metaphor for the inner work. In fact, for the Christian it is not only a symbol but a contemplation of a real supernatural fact,of a living presence. A presence that must be born in us and then grow to make us adults in the Kingdom of Heaven: illum oportet grow, me autem minui (Jn. 3:30).
Our conscience is literally the manger in which the Divine Child asks to be born. He, through the vagare of St. Joseph and Maris SS., seeks a place to become flesh and dwell. The world, however, rejects it and does not recognize it: et mundus eum non cognóvit. But to those who welcome him he gives the power to become Children of God: Quotquot autem recepérunt eum, dedit eis potestátem fílios Dei fíeri.
In the meditation on “Communion with Mary“, published on our website, the constant practice of which we strongly recommend, this connection between the Nativity and inner work becomes clear. For this reason we pray to Mary, universal mediator,to be pleased to come and dwell in us so that we can welcome her beloved Son worthily, who would otherwise be received in a stained and inconstant heart, which at the first opportunity could disgust him, or even seriously offend him.
Another link that appears clear in this meditation is that between the Divine Child and the Eucharist. Indeed, in every Eucharistic celebration, the Nativity is repeated in us and Jesus Christ, through Mary SS., with immense sacrifice, descends into our dark caverns and comes to dwell in us as real presence. In short, there is an essential identity between adoration of the Nativity and adoration of the Holy Sacrament to the extent that both contemplate the real presence. We are the humble shepherds who come to worship. We are the slaves at the door of the King’s palace, where he is in conversation with the Queen: we ask her to worship him deeply for us, love him perfectly, embrace him closely and give him multiple homages in spirit and truth as He deserves and as she alone is able to do, while the thick darkness of our minds does not even allow us to know how to imagine.
Given the foregoing, we understand the importance, as far as we can, of receiving this royal guest worthily. Let us make reference here to the fact that today the sacredness of these two aspects is neglected and often openly outraged. Unfortunately, many examples could be given but we will mention, uni per tutti the offensive and blasphemous nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square for which we invite you to read the words of Monsignor Viganò and, as far as the Eucharist is concerned, to the habit, unfortunately now consolidated by years of diseducation, of receiving Holy Communion on the hands and without any outward reverence. This denoted the absolute unawareness of who you really receive at the time of the Eucharist.
As Cardinal Caffarra, Archbishop of Bologna, said on 27 April 2009 (Prot. 2224 Trt. 1 Fase. 6 Anno 2009 – of the Archbishop’s Chancellery) about the problem of desecration:
The piety and inner veneration with which the faithful approach the Eucharist is also manifested externally in the way in which they receive the consecrated Bread.
Indeed, we must acknowledge that unfortunately there have been repeated cases of desecration of the Eucharist, taking advantage of the opportunity to welcome the consecrated Bread on the palm of our hands, above all but not only, on the occasion of great celebrations or in large churches that are the subject of passage by numerous faithful.
For this reason it is good to watch over the moment of Holy Communion (…)
The Eucharist is in fact the most precious asset that the Church preserves, the living presence of the Risen Lord; all the faithful must feel called to make every effort so that this presence may be honoured first of all with life and, then, with the outward signs of our adoration.(…) We then recommend to all priests to call upon the people entrusted with the need to be in god’s grace in order to receive the Eucharist and the great respect due to the sacrament of the Altar: with catechesis, preaching, the careful and loving celebration of the Holy Mysteries, educating the faithful to worship the God made man with the attitude of life and with the participation cared for throughout , also in gestures, at the Lord’s Table.
Finally, we urge the faithful to make every effort to make the Eucharist, the source and culmination of all Christian life, ever more loved and venerated, recognizing in it the very presence of the Son of God among us.[1]
In this Holy Christmas we pray, meditate and adore, to make ourselves ever better penetrated by the mystery of the presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ among us. Let us also do so outwardly to bear witness in a world that does not want it and does not recognize it. And let us pray that the priests first come back, like the shepherds of Bethlehem who first worshipped him, to live this mystery and transfer it to their flock, which today seems truly left at the mercy of fairs.
[1] Cit. by Giafranco Amato – The Pardon of Agatha Christie – Faith&Culture, p.75-76
