The most important wishes
Fr. IRENEUSZ SKUBIŚ
The holiday of Jesus – the Nativity of God – has come. I have thought what is most important, what I should wish our Readers during this most joyful time for man, when we wish ourselves all the best. And I have reached the conclusion that the most important wish for all of us is love. Wishes of God’s love and the love of our neighbours. You will ask, Dear Reader, the same question as in the Gospel, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Lord Jesus answered giving the parable of the Good Samaritan (cf. Luke 10:29-27). My neighbour is every man, no matter what social position he/she has, what are his/her political preferences, whether he or she is rich or homeless, whether he or she smells bad, is a saint or is immersed in sin and cannot get out of it.
It seems that one should fathom this topic, asking oneself the evangelical question and remembering Jesus’ answer. Because our neighbours are not only those who are dearest to us – father and mother, husband and wife, children. They are close to us by name and our love of them is not a big problem. But for example, love of our enemies is a problem…
The commandment of love sounds strongly at Christmas because Jesus came to the world out of love of each of us – to save us. His teaching is the teaching about love and also a call for deep and very real love. And the wings of this love are very big, reaching the ends of the earth…
Expressing wishes on Christmas Eve we look into people’s eyes, which are so often full of tears, from which we can read immensity of happiness or concern, fulfilment or hope – immensity of love. Then we can see how cordial, full and immense the love of our relatives is. Their eyes often tell us more than words; we can see an extreme depth of human being in them. Since man is a being who is more spiritual and deeper than words can express it. Man’s greatness and eternal God’s destiny is placed here, in man’s inner being. How often, when man cannot say anything, his eyes and his look express a lot…
At Christmas one can see the most beautiful look in people’s eyes – the look of Baby Jesus, God’s Child, who came to the world to be our Saviour. By assuming human nature Jesus becomes our brother and here the look of God-Man and looks of billions of people meet, scan one another, reflect their depth like in a mirror and emanate the truth about God and man destined to eternal life in God. And this is the message of Christmas: may you have eternal life. May you at a certain moment open your eyes and see the Saviour who rejoices at your coming! This is the deepest sense of the holiday that we call the Incarnation, i.e. God assuming human nature.
We would never understand God’s love for man more than in the mystery of Jesus Christ. God’s revelation is realised in the human way and God speaks to each of us in the same way. That’s why we, Christians, should experience this truth very deeply and with great gratitude towards God the Father. There are many mysteries concerning man, his life, aims he should attain, but in a special way one should approach the mystery which directs man to his ultimate fate and fulfilment. God abides with us through his love and through Jesus’ coming to the world we receive God’s unceasing example and suggestion.
These thoughts are accompanying us when we direct our eyes towards Baby Jesus at Christmas and also when we look into the eyes of our dearest ones with whom we share Christmas wafers. We can see one another like in a mirror. And God looks at us in the same way. May our eyes, perhaps full of tears, be a mirror of God himself on Christmas Eve…
Dear Readers and Friends of ‘Niedziela,’
On the calm Christmas night,
Looking with love at the Child– the Source of Christian life,
We say wishes for a blessed Christmas.
May our hearts be open to see the joyous light and peace of Emmanuel.
Enriched by God’s grace,
With hope we are entering another stage of our lives – Anno Domini 2011.
Rev. Msgr. Ireneusz Skubis, editor-in-chief
with the editorial board of ‘Niedziela’
"Niedziela" 52/2010