“It will be Christmas if, like Joseph, we give space to silence;

if, like Mary, we say “here I am” to God;

if, like Jesus, we are close to those who are alone;

and if, like the shepherds, we come out of our enclosures to stay with Jesus.

It will be Christmas if we find light in the poor grotto of Bethlehem.

It will not be Christmas if we seek the dazzling lights of the world,

if we fill ourselves up with gifts, lunches and dinners

but do not help at least one poor person, who resembles God,

because at Christmas God became poor.”