Love and Compassion - Christmas message from Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Asi, Catholic Bible Commission Pakistan

Lahore: December 18, 2009, (PCTV Newsdesk)

LOVE AND COMPASSION
Christmas  2009

The earthly life of Jesus is framed between two great events. He was born in the Crib at Bethlehem and died on the Cross at Calvary. Both these events give birth to the two great dogmas of Christian faith i.e. Incarnation of God and death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. These two Christian dogmas are the main pillars and theological pillars and doctrinal foundations of Christian faith.

Christmas has a two fold message. On the one hand we celebrate the memory of the birth of Jesus Christ at Bethlehem and on the other hand with regard to our lives and society we reflect on meaning and relevance of this doctrinal dogma of God becoming human in Jesus Christ. Certainly, lives of Christian believers find their meaning and fullness while reflecting on the meaning of this great event, dogma and theological truth.

Christmas reveals some basic and valid truths about God’s love and compassion for the human history and society. Christmas is another name for living in a family and community as willed, planned and desired by God. It is only in communion and relationship i.e. life lived in love and solidarity with others, that we discover unlimited possibilities and meaning to become more human and on the ‘image of God’

Christmas means that human heart can not live in massive poverty of isolation, hatred, oppression, terrorism and exploitation. Christmas is to live in peace with God and fellow human person. Christmas is practice and experience of living in solidarity with those who, because of our social and cultural standards, are deprived and marginalized.

Christmas is a guarantee of fullness of life in love. It is a manifestation that God never abandons and forsakes humanity. From the outset of history God has  intervened and interfered in human history. God, because of love and compassion, comes in our daily life to deliver and redeem, to save and love.

The message of Christmas 2009 is that first we ought to learn to accept and experience the love  and compassion of God in the event of Birth of Jesus Christ and be grateful and happy about this experience. Secondly on the ‘likeness’  of God we ought to be more compassionate, forgiving  and loving towards each other and especially towards to the poor, oppressed, exploited and the destitute.

May the blessings and graces of Christmas be upon you, your families, relatives, friends and country. May the peace and joy of Christmas be with you.

Fr. Emmanuel Asi
Executive Secretary
Catholic Bible Commission Pakistan
Lahore- Pakistan