Christmas Midnight Mass: Jesus is the light who brightens the darkness
(Vatican Radio) “In this night, as the spirit of darkness enfolds the world, there
takes place anew the event which always amazes and surprises us: the people who walk
see a great light.”
In his homily during Christmas Midnight Mass, Pope Francis
reflected on “the mystery of walking and seeing.” Walking, he said, brings to mind
the whole of salvation history, beginning with Abraham, our father in faith. “From
that time on, our identity as believers has been that of a people making its pilgrim
way towards the promised land. This history has always been accompanied by the Lord!”
And yet, the Pope said, “on the part of the people there are times of both light and
darkness, fidelity and infidelity, obedience, and rebellion; times of being a pilgrim
people and times of being a people adrift.”
Pope Francis said that in our own
lives, too, “there are both bright and dark moments, lights and shadows. If we love
God and our brothers and sisters, we walk in the light; but if our heart is closed,
if we are dominated by pride, deceit, self-seeking, then darkness falls within us
and around us.”
But, he continued, “On this night, like a burst of brilliant
light, there rings out the proclamation of the Apostle: “God's grace has been revealed,
and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race.”
“The grace
which was revealed in our world is Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, true man and true
God . . . He came to free us from darkness and to grant us light.”
The Gospel
of the Mass tells how the shepherds were the first to receive the news of Jesus’ birth.
“They were the first because they were among the last, the outcast,” the Pope said.
“And they were the first because they were awake, keeping watch in the night, guarding
their flocks.” The Holy Father called on us to join the shepherds, to pause before
the Child in silence, thanking God and praising His fidelity.
Pope Francis
concluded his homily with the plea: “On this night let us share the joy of the
Gospel: God loves us, he so loves us that he gave us his Son to be our brother,
to be light in our darkness. To us the Lord repeats: “Do not be afraid!” (Lk 2:10).
And I too repeat: Do not be afraid! Our Father is patient, he loves us, he gives
us Jesus to guide us on the way which leads to the promised land. Jesus is the light
who brightens the darkness. He is our peace. Amen.”
Listen to Sean
Patrick Lovett's report:
Below,
please find the complete text of Pope Francis’ homily: Homily of His
Holiness Pope Francis Christmas Midnight Mass 25 December 2013
1. “The
people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Is 9:1).
This
prophecy of Isaiah never ceases to touch us, especially when we hear it proclaimed
in the liturgy of Christmas Night. This is not simply an emotional or sentimental
matter. It moves us because it states the deep reality of what we are: a people who
walk, and all around us – and within us as well – there is darkness and light. In
this night, as the spirit of darkness enfolds the world, there takes place anew the
event which always amazes and surprises us: the people who walk see a great light.
A light which makes us reflect on this mystery: the mystery of walking and
seeing.
Walking. This verb makes us reflect on the course of history,
that long journey which is the history of salvation, starting with Abraham, our father
in faith, whom the Lord called one day to set out, to go forth from his country towards
the land which he would show him. From that time on, our identity as believers has
been that of a people making its pilgrim way towards the promised land. This history
has always been accompanied by the Lord! He is ever faithful to his covenant and
to his promises. “God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all” (1 Jn
1:5). Yet on the part of the people there are times of both light and darkness,
fidelity and infidelity, obedience, and rebellion; times of being a pilgrim people
and times of being a people adrift.
In our personal history too, there are
both bright and dark moments, lights and shadows. If we love God and our brothers
and sisters, we walk in the light; but if our heart is closed, if we are dominated
by pride, deceit, self-seeking, then darkness falls within us and around us. “Whoever
hates his brother – writes the Apostle John – is in the darkness; he walks in the
darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has blinded his eyes”
(1 Jn 2:11).
2. On this night, like a burst of brilliant light, there
rings out the proclamation of the Apostle: “God's grace has been revealed, and
it has made salvation possible for the whole human race” (Tit 2:11).
The
grace which was revealed in our world is Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, true man
and true God. He has entered our history; he has shared our journey. He came to
free us from darkness and to grant us light. In him was revealed the grace, the mercy,
and the tender love of the Father: Jesus is Love incarnate. He is not simply a teacher
of wisdom, he is not an ideal for which we strive while knowing that we are hopelessly
distant from it. He is the meaning of life and history, who has pitched his tent
in our midst.
3. The shepherds were the first to see this “tent”, to receive
the news of Jesus’ birth. They were the first because they were among the last, the
outcast. And they were the first because they were awake, keeping watch in the night,
guarding their flocks. Together with them, let us pause before the Child, let us
pause in silence. Together with them, let us thank the Lord for having given Jesus
to us, and with them let us raise from the depths of our hearts the praises of his
fidelity: We bless you, Lord God most high, who lowered yourself for our sake. You
are immense, and you made yourself small; you are rich and you made yourself poor;
you are all-powerful and you made yourself vulnerable.
On this night let us
share the joy of the Gospel: God loves us, he so loves us that he gave us his
Son to be our brother, to be light in our darkness. To us the Lord repeats: “Do not
be afraid!” (Lk 2:10). And I too repeat: Do not be afraid! Our Father is
patient, he loves us, he gives us Jesus to guide us on the way which leads to the
promised land. Jesus is the light who brightens the darkness. He is our peace.
Amen.