“God Has Made His Dwelling Among Us” – Homily by Fr. Roberto Spataro, SDBSanta Maria in Cappella, 4 January 2026 – Second Sunday after Christmas

In the homily delivered at the church of Santa Maria in Cappella on the occasion of the Mass for the Second Sunday after Christmas, Fr. Roberto Spataro, Salesian, guided the faithful to rediscover the profound and ever-relevant meaning of the mystery of the Nativity.

Christmas, the preacher reminded us, is not merely an event of the past, but the revelation of a presence: the Son of God has come to dwell among us, becoming—through a striking image—“a co-tenant of our existence.” This presence did not end with the Ascension, but continues, as Christ Himself promised: “I am with you always, until the end of time.”

How can we recognize today this presence of the Lord, whom we no longer perceive visibly? Fr. Spataro pointed to three fundamental paths, entrusted to us by the living tradition of the Church:

* The path of the sacraments, in which Christ’s own action continues: in the Holy Mass it is He who offers Himself, in Confession it is His blood that purifies and heals.

* The mystical path, the interior dwelling of God in the soul of the one who loves Him and keeps His commandments, according to the promise Jesus made in the Upper Room.

* The path of charity, through which Christ identifies Himself with every man and woman in need: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”

The message is clear and demanding: the Lord dwells in our midst and we cannot ignore His presence, a presence that saves, that grants eternal life, and that also enlightens our prayer for our deceased brothers and sisters.

A simple yet profound homily, inviting each of us to live the Christmas season as a permanent reality: God with us, today.

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