ANTIGUA
Bishop Robert Llanos, Apostolic Administrator of St John’s- Basseterre prayed that the fire of hope God has placed in each of their hearts leads them to Him as the star of Bethlehem led the wise men to the manger.
The Bishop hoped that the diocese, comprising St Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands would find in the face of Christ all the comfort, peace and joy they need. “May you be filled with hope and may the assurance of a promised love that you have received bring joy to your heart, mindful that His promised love will never end,” Bishop Llanos said in his Christmas message.
The Bishop noted that 2017 had been a difficult year for many in the diocese as they faced natural disasters of hurricanes and floods and other forms of difficulties. In light of this, he urged the faithful to allow Jesus to look upon their brokenness, sadness, grief, suffering and all that they have endured in the past year.
“In this past year, we have been asked to journey with one another through these difficult times: times of anxiety, fear, grief, times of unknowing. In all of this, God has called us to be one—to come together in a spirit of love and compassion and charity in a spirit of openness and forgiveness and a spirit of gratitude for all that we have and have received through His love.”
Bishop Llanos referenced the passage from Song of Songs 2:12–14 which he said, invites all to be open to hear the voice of Jesus and to look upon His face, that face of loveliness, purity and gentleness, compassion and mercy.
“Let us bring to the face of Jesus now all our anxieties and fears for the future. Let us bring to His face all that we hope for. Let us express with all our hearts our faith in Him. Let us bring to his beautiful face everything that we have endured and suffered and everything that we hope for in the future and then let us hear His voice, the voice of the Beloved who comes into the world to take upon Himself our very flesh, to take upon himself the suffering of the world and to transform it and to make of it something new, something life giving.”