Day 8: 23rd December - Novena of Christmas by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori

‘The Eternal Word from being Rich made Himself Poor.’

Everything that is in heaven and on earth is God’s: ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.’ (Psalm 24:1). But even this is little; heaven and earth are but the least portion of the riches of God. The riches of God are infinite, and can never fail, because his riches do not depend on others, but he, who is the Infinite Good, possesses them himself. Now this God, who is rich, made himself poor by becoming man, that he might thereby make us poor sinners rich: ‘Although he was rich, he became poor for your sake, so that you should become rich through his poverty.’ (2 Cor 8:9).

What! A God become poor? And why? Let us understand the reason. The riches of this world can be nothing but dust and mire; but it is mire that so completely blinds men that they can no longer see which are the true riches. But the divine mercy ordained that the very Son of God himself should come down to enlighten these blind creatures: ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light.’ (Is 9:2).

Jesus was called the Light of the Gentiles. ‘The light shines in the darkness.’ (Jn 1:5). Thus did the Lord from the first promise to be himself our Master, and a Master who should be seen by us.

And Jesus Christ, as he was born poor, so did he also continue in poverty all his life. Our Redeemer, after having been born in such poverty, was obliged to fly from his own country into Egypt. In this journey, St. Bonaventure goes on to consider the poverty of Mary and Joseph, who, traveling like poor people on so long a journey, and carrying the Holy Infant, must have suffered very much on account of their poverty: “What did they do for food?” (Says the Saint). “Where did they repose at night? How were they lodged?” What could they have to eat except a little hard bread? Where could they have slept at night, in that desert, if not on the ground, in the open air, or under some tree? Who that met these three great pilgrims on their way would have ever taken them for anything else than three poor beggars?”

From Egypt they returned into Palestine to live again in Nazareth, and there Jesus continues his life of poverty.

Finally, then, the Redeemer comes forth to preach, and in these three last years of his life he changes not his fortune or his condition; but he lives in even greater poverty than before, living on alms. Therefore he said to a certain man, who wished to follow him: ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.’ (Mat 8: 20). The true servants of Christ neither have, nor desire to have, anything but Christ.

God seems to have gone on to madness in his love for men, being willing to embrace so many miseries to obtain for them the riches of divine grace and eternal glory. That being King of heaven, he should have chosen to be so despised!

Oh! If men would always remember that they are but travelers in this world, and on their way to eternity, who would be found to attach himself to earthly riches, and, so doing, to run the risk of losing the riches of eternity? Jesus Christ wished to be born in poverty that from his divine example we should pluck out of our hearts all affection to the things we possess here, and should give it to virtue and holy love: ‘For wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be too.’ (Mat 6:21).

What are treasures? What possessions? What riches? What is the use of these goods if they do not satisfy the heart, and we must leave them so soon? ‘Do not store up treasure for yourselves on earth, where moth and woodworm destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven.’ (Mat 6: 19-20). O what a treasure is the grace of God and divine love to those who know it! ‘Behold His reward is with Him,’ says Isaiah (Is 40:10).

My dear Jesus, inflame me with your holy love; since for this end you came upon earth. It is true that I am so wretched as to have offended you, after the many special lights and graces which have been bestowed on me. I firmly hope for pardon and the grace to love you for the rest of my life. O Mary! Great Mother of this great Son, and most beloved by him, pray to him for me.


(Edited excerpts from St Alphonsus de Liguori, Novena for Christmas in: The Complete Works of St Alphonsus de Liguori. Rev. Eugene Grimm (Ed.)