Rome (Italy). On 15 December 2024, in Rome at the Generalate of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the Novices of the International Novitiate Maria Help of Christians of Castelgandolfo, with the Formator, Sister Luisa Menozzi, and the Formation Community, expressed their Christmas greetings to Mother General, Sister Chiara Cazzuola, and to the General Councilors.
At the center of the greeting is the Prologue of John (Jn 1:1-16), in which the Word is exalted, “who becomes flesh and dwells among us.” “Contemplating the Word who assumes our humanity in order to redeem it, may bring joy and serenity in our hearts and in the whole world,” are the introductory words to the moment.
After the reading of the Gospel passage, the Novices sang and played the Canticle of the Creatures by singer-songwriter Angelo Branduardi. Two ‘stories’ were then read. The first was from the will of Sammy Basso, a young Italian suffering from progeria, a rare genetic disease also known as “premature aging syndrome”. He died on 5 October 2024, and moved the world with his testimony of faith and joy of living. Then followed the story of the ‘good wave’ that arose from young volunteers who mobilized to counter the terrible flood that inundated the streets of the city of Valencia, Spain at the end of October, resulting in 200 deaths. The two stories were followed by the song ‘Credo negli esseri umani’ (I believe in human beings) by Marco Mengoni.
During the reading of the passages of the Prologue, interspersed with stories and songs, gradually there was composed on the stage with colored white and rough sheets, a ‘dwelling place’ for the Child Jesus, placed on the Word of God:
“The Word of God, who created the world and gives meaning to history and to the human journey, became flesh and came to live among us. Coming into the world, in the Person of the incarnate Word, God showed us the way of encounter and dialogue. Even more, He incarnated this Way in Himself, so that we may know it and walk it with confidence and hope.”
With these words of Pope Francis, the Novices gave to Mother and each Councilor lanterns to “illuminate the way this year that will see us as pilgrims of hope on the roads of the world.”
Mother Chiara and the Councilors reciprocated with the song Verrai Signore, expressing the wish of hope of humanity, and wishing “that we can really find ourselves in the Lord with this strength, to believe and hope in Him, and go forward in our lives a witness of light.”
At the end, the Mother thanked the Novices for their concrete message of hope, based on “entrusting our life to God”. Taking up the words of the Reading of Saint Paul on Gaudete Sunday (Phil 4,4-7), “Be glad in the Lord” she added, “joy has a reason to exist because it is in the Lord. He is the foundation of our joy. We could not think of our life with a dimension of supernatural joy if we did not have faith in the Lord; if we did not know that our life is in His hands and that beyond what we can see, even in present history, so seemingly dark and without peace, knowing that we are drawn on the palms of His hands really brings us the joy of the heart that also gives us the strength to live our daily lives.”
Always in the words of Saint Paul, “your kindness is known to all”, she encouraged therefore “to bring the contribution of a serene love in this society, with the certainty that ‘the Lord is near’, so ‘do not worry at all’. May our peace be truly deep, because there is no reason to worry. The Lord is near. It is He who gives us the strength to welcome our life, our personal history.”
The greetings ended with an exchange of gifts between the two communities, including the “fruits of the earth” of Castel Gandolfo, and a time of conviviality together with Mother and the Councilors.
Photos: Flickr FMA
