Homily of Bp Paolo for Simbang Gabi celebration, 22/12/2023, St Mary's Dubai

Simbang Gabi 22 12 23 Dubai (readings from 23.12.23)

Dear faithful of the Filipino community of our Parish of Saint Mary’s in Dubai,
Peace and Goodness!
First, I would like to express my joy to celebrate this Holy Mass with you during Simbang Gabi. Your testimony deeply touches me: I see that every year, as a preparation for Christmas, you gather in great numbers to celebrate the Eucharist. It is a beautiful tradition that you follow well to be faithful.
We are indeed a community of migrants, made up of people who come from different countries. For this reason, on the one hand, we must try to maintain our spiritual traditions, and on the other, meet different traditions and work together to spread the joy of the Gospel to everyone. By celebrating the beautiful tradition of Simbang gabi these days, you rediscover your roots. At the same time, you are invited to walk together with all the other faithful to form the one Church of Jesus.
The word of God that has just been proclaimed helps us a lot to put us in the perspective of Christmas. First, the prophet Malachi utters a great prophecy; in view of the day of the Lord, the day of the coming of the Messiah, the return of Elijah is announced.
Who was Elijah? He was one of the most powerful prophetic figures in the Old Testament. He was the prophet who fought alone against the idolatry that had perverted the hearts of believers during his time. Instead of worshiping the living and true God, the people had become slaves to other gods. Because of this battle, Elijah suffered many persecutions. Malachi states that before the advent of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Elijah would return to purify everyone's hearts.
Sisters and brothers, often, we too serve idols: when we live just for money, for a career, for power and dominion over others, and when we let disordered pleasures determine our lives. How much of time and energy do we waste on these false idols that do not give us true happiness? We must move from the slavery of sin to the freedom of being children of God.
This reminds us of the need to prepare our hearts for Christmas. Without preparation, there is no authentic celebration. Without purifying our hearts, we have no space to welcome Jesus.
John the Baptist, the precursor who came to prepare the ways for the Lord, is the new Elijah. For this reason, today's Gospel, to prepare us for the Birth of Jesus, presents us with the birth of John the Baptist, who represents the return of the prophet Elijah.
But this birth is characterized by something unique: as the Gospel tells us, all the relatives want to name the newborn Zechariah as his father, according to the old tradition in Israel. But Elizabeth wants a different name for her son: he will be called John. Even his father, Zechariah, who had lost his speech for not believing in Elizabeth's motherhood, confirms by writing on a tablet that his name will be John.
What does the Gospel want to announce to us with this fact? John is not only the return of the prophet Elijah, but he is also the one who will recognize in Jesus the beginning of a new era in the history of humanity. There is not simply continuity with the past, but we are given a new beginning. John means “grace of God”, and “God is merciful”. Therefore, reference is made to the new beginning that God's grace and mercy make possible.
The birth of John the Baptist closes the past and prepares us for the new beginning: Jesus is God's perennial newness for us. Christmas is the possibility of a new beginning and thus becoming new creatures. We don't start again if we start from ourselves  or within our limitations, but only if we start from the gift of God. Sometimes we remain attached to the past in the wrong way and remain closed in on ourselves and in our sadness. Let us open ourselves to the novelty of God and the surprises of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the grace of God that allows us to begin a new life.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us, therefore, prepare for Christmas. Let us open our hearts to the grace of God. Let the Lord forgive our sins and allow in us a new beginning. Jesus comes among us and changes our lives. He fills our lives with light and peace. Let us bring the light of Jesus into our hearts and witness to everyone the joy of the Gospel.