December 2006
Christ is Born!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ who is born,

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children" (Gal. 4:4-5).

I send my warmest greetings to you and your family as we approach this wonderful season of Christmas.

Christmas offers us all the opportunity to recapture glimpses of childhood’s sacred memories. There is timelessness about gazing into the crib and coming face to face with the truth that God came down from heaven and dwelt among us a helpless baby. The Gospel story tells us that at Bethlehem on a cold and dark night, the son of God was born. Angels sang at His birth, and a brilliant, shining light startled the shepherds. It is the simplicity of this happening that captures the imagination. But Christmas is more than a story that is told; it is about a birth that brings heaven down to earth. Love came down at Christmas, broke the barrier between creature and Creator, and brought an eternal value to our lives. God has given us the gift of reaching beyond ourselves and discovering the joy of heaven.

There was nothing romantic about the first Christmas. Christ and His mother were the picture of poverty – there was no room at the inn, and they were forced to find shelter in a stable outside the walls of the city. Christ Who was to die on Calvary outside Jerusalem, was born outside of Bethlehem.

The message is clear from the very beginning: God’s love is available, and it belongs to us all, poor and rich, strong and weak. The message clearly tells us that grace and goodness can be seen in all people, the deprived and the affluent. Christmas means that we welcome Christ in every person that reflects Christ’s value and dignity. Christmas is also about kindness, about giving and receiving love. It is the time when we give to those from whom we don’t expect to receive. We become more alive and sensitive to the many needs of the poor, the sick, the prisoners. It is a time to pause, to focus on what is really important in our lives, and for us to invite Jesus ever deeper into our hearts that He may be born anew within us.

May God, who has granted everything for our salvation, never exclude us from the peace and goodwill of the Divine Incarnation.  May your Christmas be a holy one.