“WILL THERE BE CHRISTMAS” DURING THIS COVID-19 PANDEMIC? POPE CALLS PRIEST WHO COMPOSED THE POEM.
Three days ago, I received thru a popular messenger app a beautiful poem in Spanish composed by Fr. Javier Leoz, the parish priest of the St. Fermin Chapel of Pamplona (Navarre, Spain) entitled, “¿Que no habrá Navidad?,” translated as, “Will there be Christmas?”
The message is widely circulating here in Spain, which presently has the second worst number COVID-19 cases here in Europe, and within the country, the province of Navarre has the most number of cases (thousands) during the past few weeks at the time of this post.
Apparently, Fr. Leoz received a phone call from Pope Francis himself who manifested his appreciation of the message he wrote. As the priest himself said:
“It was really very surprising. At 4:30 p.m. I was at the rectory of San Lorenzo when my cell phone rang.” According to the priest, Pope Francis appreciated the message of the poem and told him that Christmas would be “more purified” because of the health crisis. “He told me how the Christian spirit of those days has been progressively stolen from us,”. Below you have the original text written by Fr. Leoz together with the English translation from aleteia. org.
| English translation | Spanish original |
| WILL THERE BE CHRISTMAS? Of course! More silent and with more depth. More like unto the first one, when Jesus was born in solitude. Without many lights on earth but with the star of Bethlehem shining on paths of life in its immensity. Without colossal royal processions but with the humility of feeling as if we are shepherds, young and old, seeking the Truth. Without big tables and with bitter absences but with the presence of a God who will fill everything. WILL THERE BE CHRISTMAS? Of course! Without streets overflowing with people with our hearts burning for the One who is about to arrive. Without noise or festivals, complaints or stampedes … but living the Mystery without fear of the “COVID-Herod” that tries to rob us even of the dream of waiting. There will be Christmas because GOD is on our side and He shares, as Christ did in a manger, our poverty, trials, tears, anguish and orphanhood. There will be Christmas because we need a divine light in the midst of such darkness. COVID-19 will never be able to reach the heart or soul of those who put their hope and their high ideal in heaven. THERE WILL BE CHRISTMAS! WE WILL SING CHRISTMAS CAROLS! GOD WILL BE BORN AND WILL BRING US FREEDOM! | ¿QUE NO HABRÁ NAVIDAD? ¡Claro que sí! Más silenciosa y con más profundidad Más parecida a la primera en la que Jesús nació en soledad. Sin muchas luces en la tierra pero con la de la estrella de Belén destellando rutas de vida en su inmensidad Sin cortejos reales colosales pero con la humildad de sentirnos pastores y zagales buscando la Verdad. Sin grandes mesas y con amargas ausencias pero con la presencia de un Dios que todo lo llenará. ¿QUE NO HABRÁ NAVIDAD? ¡Claro que sí! Sin las calles a rebosar pero con el corazón enardecido por el que está por llegar Sin ruidos ni verbenas, reclamos ni estampidas… pero viviendo el Misterio sin miedo al “covid-herodes” que pretende quitarnos hasta el sueño de esperar. Habrá Navidad porque DIOS está de nuestro lado y comparte, como Cristo lo hizo en un pesebre, nuestra pobreza, prueba, llanto, angustia y orfandad. Habrá Navidad porque necesitamos una luz divina en medio de tanta oscuridad. Covid19 nunca podrá llegar al corazón ni al alma de los que en el cielo ponen su esperanza y su alto ideal. ¡HABRÁ NAVIDAD! ¡CANTAREMOS VILLANCICOS! ¡DIOS NACERÁ Y NOS TRAERÁ LIBERTAD! |
Dear brethren in Christ, may we prepare ourselves for Christmas convinced that in the midst of all the suffering caused by the pandemic, and other natural disasters, God is always with us, suffers with us, and never abandons us. With Mary and Joseph by our side, let’s ask Baby Jesus: Holy Child Jesus, may we live the true spirit of Christmas.