Christmas has finally arrived once again, and on behalf of all the members of Our Lady of Peace parish, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. I hope all your Christmas dreams come true.
Mostly in every Christmas we remember the best gift that we ever received. Christmas is the gift of love from God.
He sends His only son Jesus Christ to the world as our Saviour and Lord. Sacred Scripture, which is the love letter of God to each one of us, has it that, “God so loves the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life,” (John 3:16).
It is also the gift of the Son who chose to make His dwelling among us and to become like us that we may become like Him.
It has become a tradition to associate snow with Christmas, and when it does come, shrouding everything with its white mantle, a stillness settles over the countryside, especially at nighttime.
That combination of darkness and stillness was the setting for the first Christmas. As the Book of Wisdom states, “When all things were in quiet silence, and the night was in the middle of her course, your almighty Word leaped down from heaven, from your royal throne.” (Wis 18:14f).
It was as if God was saying a second time, “Let there be light.”… let the gloom and darkness, which exemplify the fallen and corrupt aspect of our human condition, be lifted, ushering in a new age of glory to God and peace on earth among all its people."
Christmas Day is a holiday. There is no work in public and private offices. Originally, the meaning of holiday is holy day. Let us make sure that it is on Christmas Day.
It will become really a holy day by reaching out to God concretely through attending masses and by sharing our love and blessings, especially to the poor and the needy. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas.
Father Liju Jose is the pastor at Innisfail's Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church.
