Christmas Message from Bishop Vincent Darius
Dear Sisters and Brothers
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. You have brought them an abundance of joy and great rejoicing” (Is 9:1)
We celebrate this year’s Christmas against the backdrop of the down turn in the world’s economy. Many are now on the breadline as a result of job losses. Escalating unemployment has cast many into a dark world of doom and gloom. Governments are at their wit’s end to stabilize their economies.
Many are now very concerned about the quality of their Christmas celebrations. In a sense, some are living in a dark world of hopelessness and despair. Our world’s present scenario is no different from what it was two thousand years ago when Christ entered the human arena and transformed people’s darkness into light, despair into hope and sadness into joy.
This same Christ, the Light of the World, is present today in the midst of our troubled world. But just as how He was rejected by some, he continues to be rejected even today. “He came to his own and his own people did not accept him” (Jn 1:11).
This rejection of Jesus manifests itself, at times, in man’s frantic search for solutions to our problems without reference to the Creator. Too often we have ignored the advice from the writer of the Book of Proverbs: “Put all your trust in the Lord and do not rely on your own understanding. At every step you take keep him in mind, and he will direct your path” (Prov. 3:4-5). The rejection of Christ leaves us in a dark world of immorality, corruption, crime, violence and all other forms of social ills.
Christmas this year does not have to be a dark night experience for any of us. We who live for Christ have ourselves become lights that can dispel the darkness that envelopes others “because the kingdom of God does not mean eating or drinking this or that, it means righteousness and peace and joy brought by the Holy Spirit. (Rm. 14:17)
Let us, for love, with love and in love, reach out to each other and dispel each other’s darkness. Let our deeds of love banish forever all that prevents us from being a united people and transform us once again into a caring and loving nation. Let our deeds of love proclaim the Good news - Jesus Christ.
May your celebration of Christ be filled with the light of Christ that illuminates your path for the New Year. God’s blessings to all.
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