The Cardinal President celebrates Holy Mass with the families of the Directorate of Security and Civil Protection Services, on the occasion of Epiphany
In Christ, the Bright Morning Star
Epiphany is a celebration for adults and children, alike. On Saturday afternoon, 4 January, Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, celebrated Holy Mass in the Church of Maria, Madre della Famiglia (Mary, Mother of the Family), to come together and share the joy of the arrival of the Magi with their gifts. Fr. Franco Fontana, Chaplain of the Directorate of Security and Civil Protection Services and of the Directorate of Museums and Cultural Heritage, concelebrated the celebration, along with the Cardinal. Among those present, were Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate, Mr. Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, Deputy Secretary General, and Mr. Gianluca Gauzzi Broccoletti and Mr. Davide Giulietti, respectively, Director and Deputy Director, of the Directorate of Security and Civil Protection Services.
Dear friends, brothers and sisters in Christ,
The Gospel of John, which we have just heard, invites us to look at Christmas with new eyes, rediscovering its simplicity and its power. Its message, represented by the birth of Jesus, is not for the powerful or for those who already feel fulfilled. It is a message of love and hope addressed to all, to everyone, even to the humblest and to sinners. Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, who had nothing to offer except their hearts, we too are invited to receive God’s gift, manifested in the most fragile of ways, in a Child.
The image of Baby Jesus, which reveals the true Face of the Lord, reminds us that God’s love does not cause fear, nor is it intrusive. On the contrary, it is a love that draws near, imposes nothing and invites us to welcome it. It is a love that does not judge, that stands in solidarity with the poor and the marginalized, like the shepherds, and that reaches out even to those who feel distant from God, like a child who, with his innocence, knows how to stir the sincerest affection.
With its profound and symbolic language, John’s Gospel invites us to reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ coming to the world. It is not just a birth, but the beginning of a story that speaks of life, light, love, and salvation, to which each of us is called to participate. Christmas is not just a historical commemoration, but a call to fully live the encounter with God, who comes to us in the simplicity and fragility of a Child to transform our lives and bring light to our hearts.
This is the beauty and the wonder: Jesus is the Word made flesh. He is the fullness of God. Let us welcome the Word. Let us turn towards one another and open our hearts to all. This is the meaning of Christmas. Together, let us become, for Emmanuel, the Word made flesh who dwells among us.
He is the Word in the innocent victims of attacks and violence. He is the Word in the suffering of Christians killed because of their faith, martyred and cast out. He is the Word in the person bent in suffering from illness or loneliness. He is the Word in the heart of love, wounded or betrayed. He is the Word at the core of our joys and celebrations.
On Monday, 6 January, we will celebrate the Epiphany, a feast for all children. I would like to say a few words to them about the Epiphany. On the solemnity we are celebrating today, we are with the Magi, coming to adore the Child-God, the light that the prophet Isaiah mentions.
The Magi were astrologers, who studied the sky in search of signs. The birth of the King of the Jews had been announced by a star. Guided by the light of this star, they came from Persia and embarked on a long journey to pay homage to Jesus. When they arrived in Jerusalem at the end of their journey, they asked, “Where is the King of the Jews?”, moved by a desire to discover the One who had set them on their journey.
The Magi’s search worried King Herod, who was afraid that this Child could be a threat to his power. In order to maintain his rule, Herod devised a plan: he called the Magi and instructed them to find the child, telling them to inform him once they had found him, so that he too could go and pay homage. In reality, Herod’s true intention was to kill Jesus, as he saw him as a rival.
Guided by the star, the Magi arrived at a house in Bethlehem, where they found Jesus, a small Child, with his mother. They felt an immense joy and knelt before him, offering him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They recognized Christ, the bright Morning Star, in him (Rev 22:16), the one who illuminates every person, even foreigners like themselves.
The Magi understood that true power did not lie with Herod, but with the King of kings, an unarmed power at the service of the humble and of peace. For this reason, instead of returning to Herod, they chose to go back to their country “by another way”. Indeed, those who encounter Christ can no longer walk along the same paths.
Happy Epiphany to all of you and to your families, especially to you children. May Mary, our Mother, accompany you with her maternal tenderness. Amen.