During the formation meeting on December 13th in Pagani, the Lay Associates of the Redemptorists (LAR) of the Naples area explored the meaning of Christmas according to Saint Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori, guided by the reflections by Father Ivel Mendanha, the General Consultor.
The presentation highlighted how Saint Alphonsus, a great master of Christmas spirituality, capable of combining theological rigor and popular language, was able to combine theological depth and popular language, making the mystery of the Incarnation accessible to all through his preaching, the nativity scene, and above all his famous carol, “Tu scendi dalle stelle.”
It was strikingly clear that, in Alphonsus’s vision, Christmas is not merely an expression of tenderness, but an anticipation of the Cross: God becomes poor and fragile out of love for humanity, restoring its dignity as a son or daughter. Particular attention was paid to the significance of Mary’s virginity, understood not only in a physical sense, but as radical poverty and total openness to God’s plan. Mary thus becomes a model of a humanity capable of welcoming Christ only to the extent that it becomes humble, free, and trusting. From this perspective, Alphonsus’s Christmas message remains highly relevant: it invites us to rediscover the value of innocence, concrete charity, and hope, especially in the face of the wounds of the contemporary world.
The reflection invited participants to experience Christmas as a time of adoration, concrete charity, and hope, in the authentic spirit of the Redemptorist tradition.
Assunta La Rocca,
Coordinator of the LAR (Neapolitan area)
