Precedes and Prepares the Celebration of Holy Christmas

Dear Rev. Fathers, Brothers, Sisters and Lay faithful,

Greetings in the name of King of Peace!

We have just entered the threshold of Advent, the period that every year introduces us to Christmas and its Mystery. This is the liturgical period that precedes and prepares the celebration of Holy Christmas. Our God is the God who comes: He never disappoints us. Therefore, Advent is the season for remembering the closeness of God who came down to dwell in our midst.

Jesus Comes

Pope Francis addressed the faithful during the Angelus of the first Sunday of Advent on 27 November 2022 in St Peter's Square and exhorted the Catholics to "awaken from slumber" and to always be aware of God's presence in their lives. The Pope pointed out that the Lord always visits us in our lives, "makes Himself close, and will return at the end of time to welcome us in His embrace." We naturally ask ourselves, how will the Lord come to visit us and how will we recognize and welcome Him? In our daily lives, the Lord is present, accompanying us on our journey. This reality may get lost at times, as we become "distracted" by the many concrete aspects of our daily lives; or perhaps we only look for spectacular and miraculous signs of the Lord's presence. The Pope pointed out during his Angelus that God will come when we least expect it and in our normal, everyday lives. "God conceals Himself in the most common and ordinary situations in our life," and we need to be constantly aware of this reality, not awaiting extraordinary events. This can be when we face someone in need, a chance encounter, or even in what might seem quiet or dull moments of daily life. "It is right there that we find the Lord, who calls to us, speaks to us and inspires our actions."

The Pope said the second question regards how we can recognize and welcome the Lord. "We must be awake, alert, vigilant. Jesus warns us of the danger of not realizing His coming and being unprepared for His visit. I have recalled on other occasions what St. Augustine said: ‘I fear the Lord who passes by'... that is, I fear that He will pass by and I will not recognize Him!" We need to always discern God's presence in our daily lives and not miss this big picture, as can happen when we are distracted by earthly matters only. The Pope said Advent is the time we can be "shaken out" of our lethargy and "awaken from our slumber," to be vigilant always. We can ask ourselves if we are alert and vigilant, and if we "recognize God's presence in daily situations," saying that if we are unaware of this reality today, we will be unprepared when He arrives at the end of times.

Choose Prayer and Charity Over Consumerism

"Resist the dazzling lights of consumption, which will shine everywhere this month, and believe that prayer and charity are not lost time, but the greatest treasures. "Consumerism is a virus that affects the faith at its root because it makes you believe that life depends only on what you have, and so you forget about God." Advent season is a time to let go of the worldly distractions that take us away from God, and focus on growing closer to him through prayer and concern for others. May our Jesus be the reason for the season.

The first Christmas was celebrated in a manger and not in a palace. The sign the angels gave for identifying the Messiah was not silk and satin, but swaddling clothes. Mary and Joseph were so poor; they could not even afford a lamb for the sacrifice on behalf of their new child, according to the Law of Moses. (Leviticus 12:8). Therefore, they had to do with turtledoves and pigeons. (Luke 2:24). Jesus revealed himself in a surprising way; he was born to a poor, unknown maiden, who gave birth to him in a stable, with only the help of her husband.

Therefore, Christmas is not consumerism. It's not even primarily about family, food, and friends. While all of these are welcome additions to the Christmas celebration, at its core, Christmas is about Jesus. The whole reason we celebrate Christmas is to commemorate the gift that was given to mankind when Jesus was born. Many of us go through the tradition of Christmas each year without paying attention to this most important gift. As far as we are concerned, Christmas is the celebration of Jesus' birthday, but it does not go beyond that. It is as if God gave us a Christmas gift that we have refused to open. As we approach Christmas, we should share our faith with loved ones and strangers alike, proclaiming the joyous news that God is with us. In addition to sharing our faith, we should reach out to one another, especially the needy and the poor with the blessings God has bestowed upon us, especially the gift of peace. It is in the poor we see Jesus.

May we be helped by the Holy Virgin, the Woman of waiting, who knew how to perceive the passing of God in the humble and hidden life of Nazareth and welcomed Him in her womb.

Wishing you all a MeryChrismas.

Yours devotedly in Our Lord,

+ Most.Rev. S. Antonysamy
Bishop of Palayamkottai