A Christmas Message of the CBCP President
It is my joy and privilege to greet all people of good will and wish upon them the blessings only God can give. This Christmas season, as we call to mind those joyful mysteries when our Lord was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, we also remember, and in fact we love to sing “Joy to the world” and “peace to His people on earth.”
The little town of Bethlehem is a far-away place from our beloved Philippines and the year 1 A.D. is long time ago and yet the angels’ message is still loud and clear for us. Even now as we are about to close year 2011 and enter 2012, even here in our country or wherever we may be, in the midst of controversies and divisions happening in society, we hope of a better tomorrow and a brighter future because “God is with us” (Mt. 1:23).
Reflecting on God-made-man lying in the manger, we know how messy and smelly would that be for God Almighty. He is there because there is no welcome in any home and had no room in the inn. In our time we pray that we are not too full of ourselves so as to have space for God. Jesus should not stay in the manger because we welcome him into our homes and enthrone him in our hearts.
This Christmas what better way to welcome him than to know that mangers contain fodder for animals. The Lord who came that we may “have life and have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10:10), desires that we eat his body (Jn. 6:51) and drink his blood. Thus having partaken of him, we who partake of one bread may become one body and one people. May the Child who is the Prince of Peace (Is. 9:5) make us experience that blessing we had longed for in our heart.
+JOSE S. PALMA, DD
Archbishop of Cebu
President, CBCP
Archbishop of Cebu
President, CBCP
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