The wonder of Redemption began with the birth of the Redeemer, the King of Creation who couldn’t find a room to come into this world, nor a stone on which to rest his head.

He was true man and his appearance among the people for whom he came took place in the appearance of an infant lying in a manger.

The Romans awaited a saviour who would appear as a boy, who would begin a new cycle of the centuries – the Greeks and the Persians as well.

The Jews expected him in the light of prophecies that pinned all hopes on him for a rebirth of the past and a total overturning of the present.

The overturning was already underway in that low-class birth, which placed the Son of God on the level of the victims, the homeless, the moneyless, victims of floods and wars: those on the bottom level of the widespread human misery. Later he would die on the scaffold of disgrace and shame.

Such a stunning presentation of the Divinity: haloes of angels above and shepherds’ knots below. But even more astounding was their song at that singular birth which resounded and filled that night with bright and shining glory: Glory to God in the highest; and peace to all on earth!

The glory of the God resounds in those lyrics: peace to all on earth! God’s peace is his glory, and the people’s peace is their glory.

The link lies already there in that relationship of divine and human values contained in God’s Incarnation, where the divine nature and the human nature are united in one person, the link and mediator of the infinite in the finite, of the eternal in the transient, of the glory in the peace.

Henceforth, the glory of God will never be separated from the peace among his people. If there is one, there will be the other; if one is lacking, so will the other be.

Great and packed with consequences was that first proclamation of the Good News, that announced the social and personal effect of love, the law of the new era, adopted by that low-class Child. The effect of that law is peace. If there is peace, it means that the divine light of charity is flowing in the spirit of each person and in the relationships among all; it means that people will like brothers and sisters perceiving the presence of the Father.

The greatest glory that people can give to God in the highest is, witih good will to secure peace below, the peace of rational beings on the lowest of the planets, this flower bed in which we become so ferocious.

Through peace our life on earth can be divine. If, instead of wasting time on hating, we gain life by loving, we will welcome into our hearts the God who is Love. God has taught mystics that he dwells nowhere except in peace.

Therefore, with the presence of Christ, a stable can be the highest heavens, a barn can be a church, every house can be a church, every office, even every Parliament.

Igino Giordani, (Turin: Parole di vita, SEI: 1954), pp. 21-23.