15.12.2009
God is with us - Archbishop Neill's Christmas Message
In his Christmas Message released today the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr John Neill says that "Christmas need not ring hollow if it allows us to look beyond the pain that we may be experiencing to the deeper reality of 'God with us.'"
The full text of the Archbishop's Christmas Message below.
The Archbishop remarks that while "Christmas conjures up pictures of festivity, of fun, of lavish spending and expensive gifts...such things seem far removed from those without work, those whose homes have been destroyed in floods and those sick with swing flu. This pain and suffering is part of Christmas 2009 for many in Ireland and is even worse for those children dying of starvation in the poorest parts of the global south."
He continues, "The good news of Christmas is that God is prepared to be with us in this often very tough world. In Jesus, God refused to stand apart from the pain and suffering that often is an overwhelming part of the human condition...In Jesus, we see God's love extended to humankind in the direst of circumstances."
Concluding the Archbishop says, "Yes we can well do without the lavishness of so much that has become traditional at Christmas, but there is still that greatest of all joy to be celebrated. In Jesus born at Bethlehem, God is with us."
Christmas conjures up pictures of festivity, of fun, of lavish feasting and expensive gifts. This year, such things seem far removed from those without work, those whose homes have been destroyed in floods, and those very sick with swine flu’. This pain and suffering is part of Christmas 2009 for many in Ireland, and it is even worse for those children dying of starvation in the poorest parts of the global South.
Jesus Christ was not born into a comfortable world. The Christmas stories contain images of homelessness, even if temporary. They tell of exile and of vile cruelty to young children. These experiences are still replicated in one way or another to this day. But in spite of all this, the birth of Jesus is hailed as good news bringing great joy.
The good news of Christmas is that God is prepared to be with us in this often very tough world. In Jesus, God refused to stand apart from the pain and suffering that often is an overwhelming part of the human condition. Though the beautiful Christmas Cribs are so often dominated by a star, that star in the case of Jesus quickly began to assume the shape of a cross. In Jesus, we see God’s love extended to humankind in the direst of circumstances.
Nothing brings joy to people more than the reality of love. Christmas tells of God loving us so much and being there for us in Jesus, and that nothing can separate us from that love. Christmas need not ring hollow if it allows us to look beyond the pain that we may be experiencing to that deeper reality of “God with us”.
Yes we can well do without the lavishness of so much that has become traditional at Christmas, but there is still that greatest of all joy to be celebrated. In Jesus born at Bethlehem, God is with us.