Christmas, an invitation to bring Christ to the world – Bishop

GUYANA

Christmas is the ongoing invitation to us to bring God’s Son into the world especially to save, reconcile, heal and to take us beyond the perceived limitations in ourselves and in our surroundings.

This, according to Bishop Francis Alleyne OSB of Georgetown in his Christmas message to faithful. The full text was published in the diocesan weekly Catholic Standard.

Bishop Alleyne said that the season, the Christmas Spirit, the mystery of the Incarnation and the Solemnities, invite all to participate in God’s loving the world “so much and sending His Son”.

“It may find us with our own challenges and perhaps even threats but rather, may it find us on the sure footing of faith and hope and seeking God’s ways,” he wrote.

He hoped the Christmas Season would find faithful ready to be “shepherds”, “angels” and “Magi” extending a hand, a word, a listening ear to a brother or sister doing their best to put together the pieces of their lives and who would benefit significantly from a gesture of encouragement and affirmation.

“Let us do this for each other this Christmas,” Bishop Alleyne said. He noted that the images of the stable, the manger, the star, the shepherds, the Magi, come into view “as we put up our cribs, send and receive Christmas cards and sing and listen to Christmas carols.”

“We will hear the narratives from scripture offering us further insight into the mystery of Jesus’ birth and God loving the world so much. Let us take it all in,” Bishop Alleyne beseeched.

He explained that Mary and Joseph were the ones chosen to accept the primary roles to receive God’s Son into the world.

“They have much to say to us,” he commented. Their roles, he said, were not simply a matter of course with everything clearly laid out with plans always working in their favour.

He observed that Mary, the maiden of Nazareth, would probably have been set to comply with the expectations of religion and culture of her time: to be betrothed, married and to settle into domestic obligations.

Referring to St Luke, Bishop Alleyne stated when Mary is visited by the Angel Gabriel announcing something much more than what she would have expected, she said ‘yes’: “let what you have said be done to me”.

“We hear some hesitation and apprehension on Mary’s part when she says ‘how can this come about, since I am a virgin? (Lk 1:34) referring not just to a physical state but also admitting her naivety and limited experience of life.”

Bishop Alleyne underscored that over and above any uncertainty was Mary’s trust in the Lord, a resonance coming from her knowledge of scripture and an intuition that what was being asked of her was possible and necessary.

To this end, the Bishop questioned, “What may be the more that God wants to show us?” According to him, Joseph, similarly, had his world turned “upside down” when he discovered that Mary was with child. “In Mathew’s narrative we hear his confusion,” he said, referring to Joseph’s decision to divorce her informally and spare her publicity.

“Then there is a dream. In biblical imagery this represents a meeting place with God, and Joseph is drawn into a much deeper understanding of himself and the situation he faces,” Bishop Alleyne said.

Mary and Joseph remained steadfast, he said, anchored in their faith and honour and believing in what is possible, the very qualities that disposed them to win God’s favour.