Christmas message by Bishop Gerald Lobo, Udupi Diocese

Christmas message by Bishop Gerald Lobo, Udupi Diocese

The Angel said to the shepherds:
“Do not be afraid.
Listen, I bring you news of great joy,
A joy to be shared by the whole people.
Today in the town of David
A Saviour has been born to you:
He is Christ the Lord.”(Luke 2:10-11)

Udupi: Most Rev. Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo Bishop of Udupi Diocese has released his message for Christmas reminding us that We come once again to the much anticipated moment, the experience of Christmas. Christmas is indeed the mystery of mysteries; the point at which divinity and humanity meet, in the person of Jesus, who is the object of admiration. No mind can fathom and no words can adequately describe the great mystery of God becoming flesh and dwelling among us. The Eternal One enters time; the Uncontainable One is wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger; the Inaccessible One is held in the arms of His All-Pure Mother. Indeed, the Creator of the Universe becomes a creature made of the clay of the earth.

What is Christmas for us today? Christmas is, first and foremost, about Love, God’s Love. How much does God love us? God loves us so much that God gave us the most precious gift imaginable, Jesus, God’s own Son. That’s the heart of Christmas.

This great and wonderful love calls us to love one another. We share love, in and through our human relationships. Love is not always a warm and cozy feeling; love is a commitment and a decision to stick by others, come what may, through thick and thin, when the going is easy and when the going gets more challenging. The love that we share in our human relationships is a reflection of the love of God, calling us to give of ourselves to others.

At Christmas, we remember that Jesus was born in poverty, in a stable among the poorest people and the farm animals. What does this mean for us today? We are called to look for the face of Christ in the poor. We often hear the phrase “Keep Christ in Christmas” and we wonder how to do that. Jesus himself gave us the best insight; if you want to keep Christ in Christmas, look around you, and look for Him. He is here. Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the stranger, care for the sick, visit the imprisoned, and love your enemies. At the end, we will be judged by how we care for the poor.
Christmas has always been associated with peace and goodwill. Peace is one of the deepest hungers of the human soul. Pope John Paul II, of revered memory, always reminded the world that peace is not just the absence of war; rather, it is something that finds its abode in the depth of the human heart. Peace is most readily attained through our concern for others, and it is deemed impossible without a corresponding exercise of justice, on the social level. We only have to spare a moment of reflection to examine the various circumstances in our lives that demand the exercise of justice.

Jesus Christ is the light that pierces our darkness and brings us hope and new life. Christ vanquishes the darkness that often clouds our vision and obscures our sight. The shadows of war, poverty, domestic violence, addiction, greed, selfishness and pride that so often cause us to stumble are exposed to the light that is Christ. With each passing year, the celebration of Christmas invites us to become living reflections of the light of Christ. As we reach out to one another in love, forgiveness and tolerance, we become beacons of light to those who live in darkness and, marvellously, we end up illuminating our own paths as well. Christmas is the perfect time for us to pause and reflect on how we can contribute to making this world a better place for all of us.

Whatever discouragement you carry within you this Christmas, whatever darkness has beset the lives of your family or loved ones, take courage. God’s plan is bigger and more wondrous than all the obstacles we face today. As we seek to make our Christmas celebration more authentic, let us set ourselves to grow in the social graces of tolerance, patience, respect, mutual concern and trust, towards each other. And may the Christ-child bring us His Peace.

Most Rev. Dr Gerald Lobo, Bishop of Udupi has wished you all a Very Happy Christmas!

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