LIGHT IN DARK TIMES: SOLEMNITY OF CHRISTMAS B

POINTING TO THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD

Dear Friends
All of us here AT PTTSOTW WISH YOU ALL A VERY MERRY AND A BLESSED CHRISTMAS.

But it won't be a merry Christmas for many people and families in these dark and difficult times we live in, where warfare is rampant; War in Cameroon, DRC, YEMEN, UKRAINE, PALESTINE and orher partsoftheworld. It won't be a merry Christmas for the victims and their families of the Mass shootings in Prague and needless deaths from gang violence. It won't be a Merry Christmas for the many victims and the families of the ever -increasing deaths from suicide of young and the older generations. What about the homeless, the drug and alcohol addicts on our streets, what about – our severely polarized nations? – where there are demonstrations of ethnic hatred in many cities – people so poor they can't even feed their own families? People are upset and very unhappy –

But the darkness in our world – and in our hearts and spirits – can never be the last word. Because God cares about us. And those who have faith can survive and overcome the power of this darkness. That is the message in the scripture readings today.

In the first reading Isaiah spoke words of hope to the Chosen People, he told them "shout for joy...for the Lord is consoling his people, the one who brings good news, heralds peace, brings happiness ...returns to Zion"

In the letter to the Hebrews, we hear some soothing words and assurances that through his Son, Jesus, the radiant light of of his glory, God has destroyed the defilement of sin.

And in the gospel, we bear witness to a beautiful gift-giving, gift-sharing, gift exchange between God and Man. God taking on our humanity so that He could give us His divinity. God becoming Man. John tells us;

"In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God and the Word was God.The Word was made flesh, he lived among us"

Friends, in these dark and difficult times, God gives us His Word, the Light, to brighten our darkness. God assures us that He is among us because He cares. In honour of God's self- giving, let us bring Him to the world by not only our gift-giving but by giving ourselves to others. Amen