Fr Albert Mc Donnell
Vice Rector of the Irish College in Rome



'I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people' 
Lk:2:10.  

Joy has to be shared – otherwise it will explode within us. We can remember as little 
children running home from school to tell our parents that the teacher put a star on 
our home work – and being so excited by it all that we could hardly say the words. 
The same sense of excitement returns when a young person gets the university place 
that they had hoped for or cashes their first pay cheque. 

To rejoice is to open our hearts. The birth of Christ is God opening his heart so that 
we in turn could unfetter our hearts. Joy lightens our minds, our souls, our very being. 
It makes us see beyond ourselves to the life giving, grace filled world that surrounds 
us. It comes upon us without warning and overwhelms us.  

A little baby was born in the poverty of a cattle shed in the cold of winter and the 
angels rejoiced. The joy that came into the world that night knew no bounds. Generation 
after generation have rejoiced in that birth. This Christmas may  joy once again reign 
within us  – a joy so great that it will once again unshackle the hearts of the men and 
women of every colour, creed and nation.

Ends
22 November 2002