As soon as we hear about Christmas how many heavenly wonders bloom and blossom in our minds! Christmas cards, Christmas lanterns, Christmas cribs, the Infant Jesus, midnight Mass, Christmas carols--they take us into a magical world of divine mysteries. We feel as if we are in the midst of angels. And at once the song of the angels falls upon our ears: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!" (Lk 2:14)

Through this heavenly song it was the message of the "Good News of great joy for all the people"(Lk 2:10) that the shepherds tending their flocks by night in the fields, received. They said to one another: "Let us go now to Bethlehem". They saw the divine Babe wrapped in swaddling cloth (Lk 2:12). The Infant looked at them and smiled. When the shepherds lost themselves in the ecstasy of that heavenly smile, they felt fulfilled.

The greatest gift of God to the human race! He gave himself to man! What more precious gift does the Father have to give us?

The greatest joy of man is to have his sins forgiven and to become an heir to the kingdom of heaven. "She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins"(Mt 1:21). Thus "To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Lk 1:79), in the town of David was born for us today a saviour, Jesus Christ. Emmanuel: God with us! "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel" (Mt 1:23). What more do we need to rejoice?

Let us like the shepherds go to Bethlehem. Let us witness this great event which God has made known to us, and receive this good news of great joy into our hearts.

Yes, let us go to Bethlehem.