Official translation
“A child has been born for us, a son given to us” (Is 9:6).
With these words, in the first reading, the prophet Isaiah addresses the inhabitants of Jerusalem. It was a prosperous time for that city, but sadly also characterized by great moral decadence.
We see much wealth there, but this affluence blinds the powerful, seducing them into thinking that they are self-sufficient, with no need for the Lord, and their conceit leads them to be selfish and unjust. For this reason, despite so much prosperity, the poor are abandoned and go hungry, infidelity is rampant, and religious practice is increasingly reduced to mere formalism. This deceptive façade of a world that at first sight appears to be perfect hides a reality that is much darker, wretched, harsh and cruel. A reality where there is much need for conversion, mercy and healing.
This is why the prophet announces to his fellow citizens a new horizon, which God will open before them: a future of hope and joy, where oppression and war will be banished forever (cf. Is 9:1-4). He will make a great light shine upon them (cf. v. 2), which will deliver them from the darkness of sin that oppresses them. Yet he will do so not with the power of armies, weapons and wealth, but through the gift of a son (cf. vv. 6-7).
Let us pause for a moment to reflect on this image: God shines his saving light through the gift of a son.
In every part of the world, the birth of a child is a shining moment of joy and celebration, which instils in everyone a desire for the good, a renewal of goodness, a return to purity and simplicity. In the presence of a newborn child, even the coldest of hearts is warmed and filled with tenderness; the discouraged find hope again, the downhearted return to dreaming and believing in the possibility of a better life. An infant’s vulnerability carries with it a message so strong that it touches even the most hardened souls, restoring in them a desire for harmony and serenity. The birth of a child indeed brings marvels! us to an even greater light, for at the origin of all life is God’s
And all this is a mere spark, pointing eternal love, his grace, providence, and the power of his creative word. In Christ, moreover, God himself became man, a child, in order to draw close to us and save us. Faced with this mystery, then, we are not only amazed and moved, but also called to open ourselves to the Father’s love and to let ourselves be fashioned by him, so that he may heal our wounds, reconcile our differences and reorder our lives to create a new foundation for every aspect of our personal and communal life.
How wonderful that here in Timor-Leste there are so many children. Indeed, you are a young country and we can see every corner of your land teeming with life. What a great gift it is that so many children and young people are present, constantly renewing the freshness, energy, joy and enthusiasm of your people. Furthermore, this is a sign, since making room for little ones, welcoming them, taking care of them, and making ourselves all of us – “small” before God and before one another, are precisely the attitudes that open us to the Lord’s action. By making ourselves small, we allow the Almighty to do great things in us, according to the measure of his love, as Mary teaches us in the Magnificat (cf. Lk 1:46-49). We can do the same in this celebration.
Today, in fact, we venerate Our Lady as Queen, that is, as the mother of a King, Jesus, who chose to be born small and to make himself our brother, entrusting his powerful action to the “yes” of a poor and innocent young mother (cf. Lk 1:38).
Mary understood this, to the point of choosing to remain small all her life, or rather to make herself ever smaller, serving, praying, withdrawing to make room for Jesus, even when this cost her much, even when she did not fully understand what was happening around her.
So, dear brothers and sisters, let us not be afraid to make ourselves small before God, and before each other, to lose our lives, to give up our time, to revise our schedules, giving up something to help a brother or sister become better and happier. Let us not be afraid to scale down our plans when necessary, not in order to diminish them but to make them even more beautiful through the gift of ourselves and the acceptance of others, with all the unpredictability that this entails. For true kingship is seen in those who give their life out of love; like Mary, and like Jesus, who on the cross gave everything, making himself small, defenceless, weak (cf. Phil 2:5-8), in order to make room for each of us in the Father’s Kingdom (cf. Jn 14:1-3).
All of this is well symbolized by two beautiful traditional treasures of this land: the Kaibauk and the Belak. Both are made of precious metal, which shows how important they are!
The Kaibauk represents the horns of a water buffalo and the light of the sun, and can be used as a headdress worn high on the forehead, or placed on the tops of houses. It speaks of strength, energy and warmth, and can represent the life-giving power of God. What is more, through its lofty positon on the head and on housetops, it reminds us that with the light of the Lord’s word and the power of his grace, we too can cooperate, through our choices and actions, in the sublime plan of salvation.
Complementary to the Kaibauk is the Belak, which is worn on the chest. This recalls the gentle glow of the moon, which humbly reflects the light of the sun during the night, enveloping everything in a light fluorescence. It speaks of peace, fertility and sweetness, and symbolizes the tenderness of a mother, who by her delicate loving gestures makes whatever she touches glow with the same light she receives from God.
The Kaibauk and Belak show the strength and tenderness of father and mother. Indeed, that is how the Lord reveals his kingship, consisting of charity and mercy.
Finally, let us ask together in this Eucharist, as men and women, as Church and as society, that we may reflect in the world the strong and tender light of God’s love, of that God who, as we prayed in the Responsorial Psalm, “raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people” (Ps 113:7-8).
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I’ve been thinking a lot about what the best thing is.
owned by Timor-Leste? Sandalwood? Marine products? This is not the best thing. The best Timor Leste are the people. I can’t forget people on the side of the road, with children. How many many children you have! The people, the best thing all they have are the smiles of their children.
And a people who teach their children to smiling is a race that has a future.
But be careful! Because I am told that crocodiles come to some beaches; crocodiles come swimming and have a stronger bite than we can avoid. Be careful! Be careful of the “crocodiles” who want to change your culture, who want to change your history. Stay faithful. And do not go near the “crocodiles” because they bite and they bite hard.
I wish peace for you all. I wish you could have many children: may the smiles of these people be his children! Take care of your children; but also take care of your parents who are memories of this country.
Thank you; thank you very much for your charity, for your faith. Go forward with hope! And now let us ask God to bless us all, and then we will sing a hymn to the Virgin Mary. (*)
