The News Not To Hush

Below is a translation of a recent piece by Italian poet Davide Rondoni published in the weekly e-newsletter ClanDestino Zoom. A real encouragement to all of us to proclaim the true meaning of Christmas.

At Christmas let's talk about Christmas.
This is a simple little rule, to strengthen brains and souls, if one still has them and they're not in a comatose state. Because at Christmas almost no one speaks of Christmas.
Priests in church do a little, but often one wishes they didn't, because it might be better. But, in the end, it's better than nothing.
Let's speak of Christmas, at Christmas, maybe while drinking something, or better, while eating among friends and relatives. Let's speak of Him, of Jesus. As if we were talking about soccer. Or movies. Or better, not as if you were talking about soccer or movies: but as if we were talking about what makes soccer and movies beautiful. Of what gives pleasure to the being here and now.
Because without Christmas, life where we are would be only "a little vessel of sadness sailing in this muffled silence through the autumn dark" as the great Irish writer John Banville wrote. Instead no, life is no longer "a little vessel of sadness". The news is not a news made of words, or thoughts. It is a news in flesh and bones, a present news.
Without Jesus, Christmas could be the saddest holiday in the world, and for many it is. Let's speak of Him, then, in His holiday. Let's speak of Him, of the captain that has inverted the route of the little vessel.