Will Durant was a student in Jesuit schools, in the United States. Later, he became a well known philosopher, a leader of thought, though most of his thoughts were heretical.
Early one June afternoon, his Jesuit professor was trying to teach the class English Composition. They were in fourth year high school. It was a very warm day, and there was no air conditioning at that time, so the windows of the classroom were wide open. In the middle of the lesson, a donkey put his head through the open window, looked at the class, and brayed.
The class burst into laughter. The Jesuit teacher was mildly disturbed by this, and said: “Alright, class! If it is so funny, I want you to write a composition on what just happened – a donkey, putting his head through the window. Write it now!” The boys – it was in all-boys school – took out paper and pen, and began to write.
Will Durant, 17 years old, thought for a moment, then wrote for ten seconds. He put down his pen, opened a book, and began to read. The Jesuit came to him and said: “I told you to write a composition!” Will looked up, and said: “I wrote it!” The Jesuit looked at his paper. Durant had written:
“He came unto his own. . . . but his own received him not.”
The Jesuit professor said: “Will, you are going to be a leader. For better or for worse, you will be a leader.” He was. Some of this thoughts were brilliant and good. And some of his thoughts were brilliant and bad. But at least he made people think. I would guess that God used his good thoughts like wheat, and tolerated his bad thoughts, like the cockle in the field.
In that High School composition he was quoting Saint John the Evangelist, who said: “He was in the world, but the world knew him not. He came unto his own, but his own received him not.” Will Durant quoted those words, from memory!
During these days of Advent, we hear those words again and again. All the Catholic priests in the Philippines, read, from the pulpit, the words of John the Baptist: “Among you stands one whom you do not recognize. . . . . I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal.”
The Catholics Sisters, in all of our Catholic grade schools, are saying to the children: “Prepare for the coming of God!. . . . Prepare your hearts for the birth of God in the stable at Bethlehem!. . . make straight his path, and smooth his way!” This is perfectly alright, of course, because God does come to us, in a special way, at Christmas time.
But when God inspired John the Evangelist to write those words, it was not meant only for the men and women of his time, 2000 years ago. When God inspired John the Baptist to say this to the laborers and housewives and prostitutes and publicans gathered before him on the banks of the Jordan River, it was not meant only for them!
God was speaking to us! He was saying: “God is with you, now! But you do not recognize him! He is living these, with you, but you do not know him!”
We think of the Scribes and Pharisees as stupid, because God was standing there before their eyes, and they did not see him. God was speaking to them, and they did not hear him. Seeing, they did not see. Hearing, they did not hear.
But we are exactly like the Scribes and Pharisees! God is there, before our eyes, and we do not see him. God is speaking to us, and we do not hear him. Seeing, we do not see. Hearing, we do not hear.
The beautiful thing is this: we are doing what God wants us to do, even when we do not realize that we are doing it. At Christmas time you give a present to your wife. You hold her, and kiss her, and say: “I love you.” That is when you are saying “I love you” to God. You sacrifice to buy the bicycle for your son, to buy the doll’s house for your little girl. That is how you show your love for God. You say: “But I was not thinking of God! I do this, because they are mine, and I love them!” That is what God meant, when he said: “my yoke is sweet. And my burden is light.”
Of course, the present you give to them is not your real gift, at Christmas time. The present is only a symbol of your gift. . . . the real gift is you.
Midnight mass of Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI will say his Midnight Mass at Christmastime, in the Vatican, and will be seen and heard, live by satellite television, in the Philippines.
His Midnight Mass at Christmas time will be carried live in the Philippines, nationwide, by the NBN Channel 4, RPN Channel 9 and IBC Channel 13. The Philippines is seven hours ahead of Rome in the International time Belt, so the telecast will be seen and heard from 6:55 a.m. to 8:25 a.m., on Christmas morning.
The Mass will be aired also – slightly delayed – at 9 a.m. on Christmas Day, by ANC Channel 27, the News Channel of ABS-CBN.
IBC Channel 13 will replay the Mass from 7 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. on Christmas Day.
GMA Channel 7 will broadcast the Mass at 12:45 a.m. on Friday, December 26.
At high noon, Pope Benedict will come out on the balcony of the Basilica, overlooking Saint Peter’s Square, and deliver his “Christmas Message to the City and to the World.” The city is Rome. The world is the rest of us. The Message will come to us here in the Philippines, at 6:55 p.m. to 7:35 p.m. on the evening of Christmas Day.
NBN Channel 4 and RPN Channel 9 will broadcast the Message, live. IBC Channel 13 will be slightly delayed – they will air the Message at 8:40 p.m. ANC Channel 27 will broadcast the Message at 9 p.m. on the evening of Christmas Day. GMA Channel 7 will record the Message and play it on a delayed telecast at 2:30 a.m. on Friday, December 26.
After delivering his Message, Pope Benedict will greet the people of the world in their own languages.