In one of his beautiful poems, Dun Karm Psaila, our National Poet, wrote: “No one is content with their lot, everyone envies what is better, and slowly, there are those who think of God’s will for the home.” This poem is titled “Progress.” Was our National Poet a prophet? And if he were to visit us today, what would he say? At the end of this poem, in a sarcastic tone, he concludes: “But we have aeroplanes, the talkie, the wireless, long live our century, the century of progress.” Are you content being like everyone else, or do you always want to be better than others?
Modern humanity seems obsessed with always wanting to outdo others, unable to bear being equal. And then we wonder why there is no peace or joy. In today’s relationships—unfortunately even within families or among those we live with—one of the biggest problems is the wild competition over who climbs the highest, who is the most right, even if this means trampling on each other to get there.
In today’s first reading, we heard: “But you, Bethlehem… small among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days...” When God chose to be born among us, He did not choose a big city like Jerusalem, where the “important” people lived, but a tiny town, Bethlehem, surrounded by fields, farmers, and shepherds. Why does God, unlike humans, choose to humble Himself instead of dominating us? Why does He become one of us—even, by human standards, one of the least among us? This is because the proud person—the one who does not want to be like others but above them—is incapable of love. They have lost the most important thing: the ability to experience and give love. Our God, who is Love, does the opposite: He becomes one of us and chooses the lowest place for Himself.
As a model and example of all this, today’s readings offer us Our Mother Mary: “In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a town in the hill country of Judea. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.” Mary had just received the greatest news ever—that God would become man through her. Yet instead of exalting herself or expecting others to serve her, she set off on a journey of about 150 kilometres to serve her relative. What a lesson for today’s humanity! True joy, and above all peace of heart, are not found in pride, wealth, entertainment, or pleasures but in experiencing God’s love for us, responding to it, and becoming instruments of His love to others. If a person succeeds in everything else but fails in this, they lose everything. Conversely, if they succeed in this—even if they face many trials—they will have gained the most important thing, indeed the only thing that truly matters.
Let us ask ourselves: What do I want in life—to dominate others, or to love? How much do I accept that God has loved me so much that He has not only given me all I have and am, but above all, given Himself to me? How open is my heart to this love, recognising it as the most important thing in life?
We pray to You, Lord, in this last Sunday before we celebrate Your birth among us, grant us the grace to open our hearts fully to the marvellous love God the Father wishes to show us through You. Help us to live this love by truly loving one another as You love us. Amen.