On Christmas Eve in the cathedral church in El Salvador, the late Archbishop Oscar Romero preached these words:
No one can celebrate a genuine Christmas without being truly poor. The self-sufficient, the proud, those who, because they have everything, look down on others, those who have no need even of God””for them there will be no Christmas. Only the poor, the hungry, those who need someone to come on their behalf, will have that someone. That someone is God, Emmanuel, God-with-us. Without poverty of spirit, there can be no abundance of God.
If any of you hearing this Christmas message finds yourself on the downside of life, I want you to know that you are not alone because God himself stands with you””and chose to become poor in human form in the mystery of the Incarnation. And for those of you listening who lack no material comfort, but you are spiritually poor; that is, you are empty of the divine love and generosity that incarnated Jesus, then help is on the way. Jesus has come to be incarnate in you also. For Christmas is not for those who have everything, and want everything; the power of Christmas is its power to lift up those who have nothing.
In fact, the greatest gift that you can possibly receive this day is the gift of you”¦the real you, the one whom God has come to save and to make whole again. You are the gift! For your life is invaluable, and in Christ you can do anything””even change the world. This is the greatest gift of Christmas!