Focolare Movement

A Place For Jesus At Christmas

Dec 19, 2017

“Christmas is drawing near and the streets of the city are being decorated with lights. The world of wealth has lassoed Christmas and evicted Jesus!” These words of Chiara Lubich prompted a project by the children of the Focolare Movement, which has been held every year since 1996.

It no longer seems paradoxical to have to reinsert Jesus into Christmas. During this season, especially in affluent countries, consumerism and a certain sentimentalism blur or even exclude the centrality of Jesus. It wasn’t very different two thousand years ago: On their way to Bethlehem, they couldn’t find a place to stay. Mary and Joseph had to make do with a makeshift shelter where the Child could be born. All over the world the Gen4 are saying:“They’ve evicted Jesus.” “At least in our homes, let’s celebrate as loud as we can the One who is born!” Chiara Lubich invited them to “let Jesus be born in their midst, through love.” This led to the idea in 1996 of making small statues of the Baby Jesus and giving them away to people rushing by on the streets, perhaps mindless of the fact that Christmas was primarily a celebration of Jesus. “We tell the people: ‘Do you want to take Him home to your house?’ Some say no, some move on without even stopping. But others stop and we give them these small statues, or the mangers we made. In the squares of big cities, in the commercial centres, in the homes for the elderly – our booths draw people’s attention . . . or the parties we organize for children. It’s like a wave of happiness that overcomes everybody and places, Jesus, the One we’re really celebrating, at the centre of Christmas.” Before trying to give Jesus to other people, the children try to know him better. A two-day meeting for Gen4 was held recently in the Focolare town, in Tagaytay, Philippines. At the end everyone wrote a letter to Jesus. Sam wrote: “Jesus is my hero. Whenever I’m afraid, he protects me. When I’m good to other people, I’m like him.” Kenneth: “I pray to you that my family will not separate.” Gioia writes about having learned how to love everyone, “even my enemies, to be the first to love, sharing the joys and sorrows of others.” April: “Thank you for giving me parents and a good sister.” In many parts of the world they are challenging the cold, the problems and indifference with a disarming smile, candour and warmth that is typical of their age. The Gen4 present an unedited view onto Christmas, returning the attention to its real meaning. In Central America Christmas the Gen4 from El Salvador the Dominican Republic celebrated with the Posadas that recall the difficulty Mary and Joseph had in finding a place to stay. Eight-year-old Walter Francisco is an active member of the Gen4: “Offering our Jesus to all the people who came by us, was really very nice!” Adriana and Juan Pablo are nine and six year old brothers. “First we went to a home for orphan children and share a meal with them. Then we went to give away our Baby Jesus, and the money that some people gave to us we gave to the poor.” «Li abbiamo portati anche ai bambini che puliscono i vetri delle macchine ai semafori». The local Focolare community of Santa Tecla held a food and toy drive for the occasion. More than forty children worked on making 270 statues of the Niñito, which they made with much love and care and offered to shoppers on the street, in several parishes and in a kindergarten: “Jesus can be born again today in everyone’s hearts,” they told us. The money donated, was sent to the children of Puerto Rico.  

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to Newsletter

Thought of the day

Related post

From Atheist to Parish Council President

From Atheist to Parish Council President

A friendship born by chance and made up of small attentions and unconditional gestures can leave a lasting mark on a person’s life and become the beginning of an unexpected change.

Kala, an institution

Kala, an institution

On the morning of 10th August, the earthly journey of Dr. Kala Acharya ended. She was a deeply committed Hindu who was engaged in interreligious dialogue, and had a profound relationship with Chiara Lubich.
In a letter expressing her condolences, Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement wrote, “With her spiritual sensitivity and her great human depth, she helped our Movement to understand every more fully the universal dimension of Chiara’s charism. With discretion, expertise and passion, she accompanied us in re-reading many of our founder’s insights from new perspectives”.

Kala, una istituzione

Kala, una istituzione

La mattina del 10 agosto scorso si è concluso il cammino terreno della Dott.ssa Kala Acharya, induista molto impegnata nel dialogo interreligioso, che aveva saputo instaurare un rapporto profondo con Chiara Lubich.
«Con la sua sensibilità spirituale e il suo grande spessore umano, ha aiutato il nostro Movimento a comprendere sempre più la dimensione universale del carisma di Chiara», scrive Margaret Karram, Presidente dei Focolari, nella lettera di condoglianze. E aggiunge: «Con discrezione, competenza e passione, ci ha accompagnati a rileggere molte intuizioni della nostra fondatrice da prospettive nuove».