| "Do not be afraid; for behold I proclaim to you Good News of great joy that will be for all the people." Luke 2:10
Beloved,
The most beautiful story in all the world is the one that we celebrate at this time of the year. It is the story of the tremendous love God has demonstrated for the whole world, and for each and every one of us. That love was revealed in the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. This is the only event, in all of human history --the coming of Jesus into our world-that is for every human being, in every age, in every place. Absolutely no one is excluded from this love of God. This is why it is Good News! God came to us in such a way that everyone could find a place in Him.
The Christmas story, as told by St. Luke, reveals how God comes to us as a helpless child. This demonstrates God's identification with all of the human family, especially the poor, the weak, the outcast, and the marginalized-these symbolized by the shepherds.
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He comes in this humble way to recreate us as human beings, by healing the deep wounds in us caused by sin. He comes to share God's very life with us, and in so doing, to transform our old world and initiate a new world order - the Kingdom of God! This story of God's love is, then, one into which all of humankind is invited.
The Christmas story, and all the other stories of our Christian faith are of extreme importance to me, as they should be to all believers. I have a particular concern, however, that many of us are not fulfilling our responsibility to share them with our children and our young people. Ever increasing numbers of young people demonstrate that they have no knowledge of their religious or spiritual origins and heritage-the stories of our Christian faith. As a result, they have no awareness of the confidence that the Lord has in the young. Mary, the Mother of our Savior, and Joseph, His foster father, were two very young people to whom God entrusted His divine Son. Both of them, as a direct result of their having been properly formed, were able to say "Yes" to God's invitation to participate in delivering the Savior to the world.
We, as a local community of faith, have an obligation-indeed a pressing responsibility-to share the story of Christmas, in particular, with our young people. We must tell it in words, and more importantly, by the example of our lives. It is this sharing that will enable them to grow in the knowledge of God's immeasurable love for them, and to see their true dignity and value as children of God. Like the young Jesus in the temple, they too will burn with the desire to learn-they too will see the beauty of acquiring an education as being consistent with their God-given dignity as human persons.
Is it too much to suggest that possibly the poorest among us, and the most marginalized in society today are in fact our own children who are crying out to be nurtured and groomed? Perhaps this Christmas is the perfect time for each of us to begin to become more attuned to the cries of our young, and to resolve to respond with love. We who know the Christmas story 'by heart' must resolve to tell especially our young, and each other, of the sacrificial love of God-how He gave himself to a wanting and hungry world. We must embody that story, and tell it in every conceivable way-by word and example-throughout the year.
It is my prayer that all of our people will experience the presence of God among us in Jesus Christ, and celebrate with gratitude God's demonstration of love for us in the birth of Jesus. I pray too, that our preparations to gather with family and friends to eat and to share, will revolve around our plans for worship-to honor God, who gives meaning not only to this most Holy Season, but to our very lives.
May we all hear and receive this Christmas the "Good News" of God's love which can transform us and bring us true joy and hope.
Merry Christmas.
Most Reverend Patrick C. Pinder, S.T.D., C.M.G.
Archbishop of Nassau
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