Dear Brothers and Sisters,
May the Lord give you His peace!
800 years ago, St. Francis wanted to experience Christmas in Greccio:
- in caves similar to those of Bethlehem, in very simple and poor conditions;
- with his brothers and the humble people of the place;
- celebrating the Eucharist on the crib, which thus becomes a "Eucharistic crib".
Francis goes up to Greccio after having given the Rule to the Church for approval. The heart of the Rule is to follow in the footsteps of Christ, poor and humble.
In Greccio the Poverello (the poor man), simply wants to remember the Child of Bethlehem, to "see with his own eyes" the poverty and humility of Jesus at His birth and thus enter in His way, to walk with Him. A few months later, this path would lead him to La Verna, to become one with his poor and crucified Lord, on the path of love.
Joy is the fruit of this journey, at a time of life that is very painful for him.
Francis finds memory, poverty, and joy - the ingredients of Christmas in Greccio - in the Eucharist, where we remember the Lord's "descent" "in the lowly semblance of bread", and we experience the joy of the presence amongst us of the One who unites Himself to us totally, because we give ourselves to Him.
What path and which path should we take today?
Reviving our relationship of friendship and love with the Lord Jesus, renewing the gift of our whole life to Him is the first response. Let’s not hesitate to give it!
The images that come to us from the places of war and poverty of our world help us to remember the presence of Jesus amongst the little ones of the earth and urge us to respond to their cry, praying and working concretely for peace and solidarity. We are not deaf to the cries of children, to the anguish of parents, to the loneliness of the elderly victims of violence and war. Everywhere and especially amongst the peoples living in the Holy Land and in Ukraine.
With these sentiments, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Peace and good will!
Br Massimo Fusarelli, ofm
