FOR A NEW CHRISTMAS
One naively believes that Christmastime brings Good News to everyone. Unfortunately it is not so, paradoxical though it may look. To start with, Christmas leaves indifferent to those who do not believe in the Child of Bethlehem; Christmas causes annoyance to those who used to believe in Him but who later abandoned their faith; Christmas turns sad to those who are in terrible pain, victims of natural calamities, abuses or injustices; and Christmas makes “less Christian†those who are egoistically engrossed in their selfishness, for whom nothing else exists. I imagine that for most of these people Christmas messages are a waste of time, to say the least.
And to us, friars, what kind of News does Christmas bring? Thanks God, to most of us Christmas brings home a message of renewing hope and joy; to a minority of friars, however, (I pray to be not among them!) my fear is that Christmas means nothing or very little, in practical terms. Please, do not take scandal at this latter expression: it is not a judgment but a simple personal apprehension. To me it is not even surprising, especially since I heard from one of our recent Masters of the Order the shocking statement that “faith cannot be taken for granted any more today in all the religious.”
Anyway, as Provincial, my Christmas message is for all the members of the Province; friends and enemies; those who are near and those who are far away.
It contains, first, a prayer: That the Lord may assume our history to enkindle it with his love, so that we may never stop cherishing the gift of faith He has given us nor allow the evil existing in the world (and henceforth in ourselves) render meaningless our religious profession.
It contains, too, a wish: May God’s Peace continue dwelling in you and in me. This Peace demands from us, missionaries, that we show Jesus to those with whom we live and work, and besides that we contemplate Him not only in Bethlehem but also in each of our brethren.
With my sincere gratitude, A Blessed Christmas! A Prosperous Year 2011!
Javier