RECOLLECTION FOR CHRISTMASThe coming of the Son of God upon earth is an event of such magnitude that God willed to prepare it overmany centuries. Ritual actions and sacrifices, figures and symbols — all were destined to converge in Christ.God foretold Him, announced Him through the mouths of the prophets, who succeeded one another from age toage.Now the Son of God Himself comes to instruct us: “After God had spoken of old to the fathers many times andin many ways, He has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.” For Christ was not born only for the Jewswho lived in His own time; rather, “for us all, for all mankind, He came down from heaven.” The grace Hemerited by His Birth He desires to distribute to every soul. Therefore the Church, guided by the Spirit of God,has made her own the sighs of the patriarchs, the longings of the just of the Old Covenant, and the hopes of thechosen people. She places them upon our lips and fills our hearts with them; she wishes to prepare us forChrist’s coming as though we were witnessing His Birth anew before our very eyes.See how, in commemorating the coming of her divine Bridegroom upon earth, she displays splendour andsolemnity; how she lets an abundance of light shine forth to celebrate the Birth of the Prince of Peace, the Sunof Justice, who rises amidst the darkness to enlighten every man coming into this world (Jo 1).These feasts are beautiful and compelling. The Church calls to mind the song of the angels — “Glory to God inthe highest…” — which resounded in the skies above the fields of Bethlehem, proclaiming the glory of theNewborn. She reminds us of the shepherds, simple souls, who came to adore Him in the manger; of the WiseMen who travelled from the distant East to bend the knee before their God and offer Him their gifts.Yet, like every earthly celebration, even this one — though extended over eight days — is brief; it passes. Wasit then for a single day of festivity, however splendid, that the Church demanded such a l...