Saint Alphonsus’ Christmas Gift

December 20, 2024

by Rev. Kevin O'Neil, C.Ss.R.

The most popular Christmas carol in Italy to this day is “Tu Scendi dalle Stelle” or “You Come Down from the Stars.” The lyrics were written by the founder of the Redemptorists, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, and they tell a wonderful story of God’s becoming human, of God’s closeness to us. The Christmas carol’s message is as important today as it was when it was written nearly 300 years ago.

When St. Alphonsus lived in the 18th century, some spiritualities of his day presented God as distant and not overly concerned with the people of the world. God was seen as one whose majesty required people to grovel before him. In response to these spiritualities, St. Alphonsus spoke of a God who was crazily in love with us—Iddio pazzo—whose love was unreasonable— and who drew near to us. He once put these words on the lips of God: “As long as I have loved myself, I have loved you. As long as I have been God, I have loved you.” In other words, “I have always loved you.” But Alphonsus also conveyed this message though his art and music.

For example, in one sketch, Alphonsus presents Jesus like a pudgy little Neapolitan baby. And in this work, Jesus is fishing for hearts. What a far cry from a distant, vengeful God. Not only does Jesus look like a cute Italian baby that people might have seen in their own home or next door, but this baby Jesus is looking for us, fishing for our hearts.
A black and white drawing by St. Alphonsus Liguori of Jesus as little Neapolitan baby fishing on the banks of a river. Jesus is fishing for hearts as we see a heart at the end of the line.

A black and white drawing by St. Alphonsus Liguori of Jesus as little Neapolitan baby fishing on the banks of a river. Jesus is fishing for hearts as we see a heart at the end of the line.

And it wasn’t only with his artwork that Alphonsus preached a God of bountiful love. He did so through music as well. Which brings me back to Italy’s most popular and famous Christmas carol, “Tu Scendi dalle Stelle.” While many Christmas carols speak about Jesus and his birth, “Tu Scendi dalle Stelle” sings to Jesus, expressing a warm familiarity with Jesus who is close to us. The lyrics remind the singer of a God who longed to be with us and how, in the words of the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians, Jesus “did not deem equality with God as something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.” Alphonsus captures God’s love and humility in his Son when he says:

You come down from the stars

Oh, King of the heavens.

And you come in a cave

In the cold, in the frost. . . .

Oh, my Divine Baby

I see you trembling here

Oh, Blessed God . . .

How much it costs You, . . . .

Dear chosen one, little infant,

This dire poverty,

Makes me love You more,

Since Love made You

poor now . . . .

Love made you poor. Yes, love for us. Alphonsus’ hope was that those who sang the hymn would not only become deeply aware of God’s love for them, but to love God in return. “This dire poverty makes me love you more.” During this Christmas season, perhaps we could take some time to sing or pray these words of St. Alphonsus. Nothing would please him more than our being grasped by the love of God and, in return, loving God more. †