This letter from the Superior General Richard McCullen invites the recipient to partake in an Advent meditation. It reflects on the contrast between the grandeur of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and the simplicity of Jesus's life in Galilee and birth in Bethlehem. The greatest contrast is found within the Incarnation itself, that the fullness of God dwelt within a human body. St. Vincent de Paul reflected on Christ becoming poor for our sake, and sought to do the same in serving the poor. What we bring to the poor must come from our relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer and the sacraments.

1. You are invited to share in an Advent meditation
a letter addressed “To Each Confrere in the World”
from then Superior General Richard McCullen, C.M.

2. From my
room here
in Rome,
I can just see
in the distant horizon
the cupola
of the dome of St. Peter’s
through the branches of some
Roman pines.

3. When my eye catches sight
of it,
I invariably think of
the wealth of history
that lies
beneath that cupola
and
of the bones
of Peter
which
shelter
under
it.

4. Then
my mind travels to
the Lake of Galilee
and across
the hill country of Judea
to Bethlehem
where Jesus Christ
was born
of the Virgin Mary.

5. At times
I find myself reflecting
on the contrast
between
the massive magnificence of St. Peter's
and
the simplicity of life
beside the Lake of Galilee
and of the still starker simplicity
that surrounded the birth of Jesus
in a cave
at Bethlehem.

6. Yet that contrast
is pale
in comparison with
the contrast
that is to be found
within he Incarnation itself.
In human experience there is no greater contrast
than that
within the dimensions
of one frail human
body
there should be found
« the fullness of Him Who fills the whole creation ».
(Eph. 1:23).

7. St. Vincent in his day saw
contrast between the rich
and the poor
and what he brought to both
was the fruit
of his reflection
on the mystery of the Incarnation.
He had reflected on the fact
that Jesus Christ,
being rich,
became poor for our sake.
(2 Cor. 8 :9)
Then he decided to go and do likewise himself.

8. The mystery
of the Incarnation
was the permanent inspiration of St. Vincent’s life.
It must be ours, too.
We shall only fully see Christ in the poor
when we have fully seen God in Christ.
That is why
all that we do and say
will have meaning
only if
it is born of our relationship with Jesus Christ,
truly God and truly man.

9. What we bring
to the poor
must be more than a program
for the betterment of their material and economic condition.
We must bring
something of the peace, the joy
and the spiritual freedom
which we ourselves have experienced
from being present to Jesus Christ through prayer
and the sacraments
of the Eucharist
and Penance.

10. I do hope that you will have a happy Christmas.
The poor are never closer to the Christian than
at Christmas time. I hope that through giving
some time this Christmas to the poor and lonely
(often a listening heart is of more value than
money), you will have enriched the lives of
some of those millions of people who have so
much less to eat than we have, and so much
less to live for.

11. I shall write again to you at the end of January.
Meantime I commend the Little Company and
myself to your prayers. In the love of Our Lord I
remain,
Your devoted confrere,
Richard McCullen C.M.
Superior General