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Dear brothers and sisters,

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The day has come, the event foretold by the prophets has taken place – the Child is born for us, Emmanuel; God-with-us.  

For the last four weeks, purple and rose candles have been lit on our Advent wreaths – both in church and in many homes – today the white candle is lighted, for the Light of the World shines upon us.

The cribs in our churches and homes, perhaps built for a little while now, are complete – for the baby is placed in the manger. The joy of the Christmas Mass spills over into our celebrations at home, especially for our young ones as eyes light up in the joy of present opening. These birthday gifts celebrate the birth of the Saviour and invite us to ask ourselves a question - what do I give to the One who was born for us – for me?

The Christmas season provides a wonderful time for us to reflect on this question. The feast days that we celebrate after Christmas focus our minds on the impact of the Gospel on our lives and lead us to the Feast of the Epiphany, Jesus showing Himself to the whole world in the persons of the Magi.

The great message of peace proclaimed by the angels on Christmas night, is one our world needs to hear: for our families, our local communities, the country in which we live – indeed the whole world. The peace that is God’s gift to us we must give to our brothers and sisters who find themselves as refugees, to those who are alone in our communities, to those whose lives are broken and who are searching for light – the light of Christmas, the light of Christ.

May this great feast be a time of peace for us all – a peace that we share with others. May God Bless each and every one of you on this great and wonderful Feast of Christmas.

With every blessing,

+R

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