“Today in the City of David, a Savior has been born for you who is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)
This is the joyful proclamation the angel announced to the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks near Bethlehem. It is the Good News that resounds through the ages: God’s infinite love revealed when his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, took flesh and became one like us in all things but sin.
The entire season of Advent has provided us a time for spiritual preparation to welcome Christ more fully into our lives and to off er him a dwelling place in our hearts, where his light can dispel the darkness of fear and uncertainty.
This year’s Christmas is enriched by a special grace: the Jubilee Year of Hope, inaugurated by Pope Francis last Christmas Eve and continuing until January 6, 2026, the Feast of the Epiphany. During this Jubilee, we continue to refl ect on the profound mystery of the Incarnation, which we commemorate in this 2,500th anniversary of Christ’s birth – a mystery that remains ever new and life-giving.
In a world often marked by strife, polarization and many challenges, the message of hope – “hope that does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5) – shines brightly. As we celebrate Christmas, let us renew our trust in the Lord who comes to dwell among us. Confident that Christ is with us and that his love never fails, may we walk together as a people of hope, sharing the love of Christ and the hope his presence brings to our hearts, the strength to our faith, and that lasting joy to our lives.
I wish you and your loved ones a blessed and merry Christmas, and a New Year filled with grace and peace.