“At a time when divisions, tensions and conflicts afflict the whole world, we will celebrate Christmas more effectively if we participate, as far as possible, in reconciliation efforts in our immediate environment, in our professional, social, ecclesiastical and political life,” Archbishop Anastasios of Albania said in his Christmas message.
He points out, “At Christmas, the great feast of the birth of the Son and Word of God, we celebrate Father’s wonderful initiative for reconciliation with the humankind.
The new reality created by the birth of Christ is a new collective entity, the “Church”. Christians are not isolated religious people. We belong to a blessed community, we are living cells of a spiritual body, the Church and Jesus Christ is the Head.
At a time when divisions, tensions and conflicts afflict the whole world, we will celebrate Christmas more effectively if we participate, as far as possible, in reconciliation efforts in our immediate environment, in our professional, social, ecclesiastical and political life.
To achieve reconciliation we need to reconcile to ourselves – with our consciousness, with our potential, with our limits – but first, we need to be reconciled to God, to His will and His commands as set forth in the Bible.
I wish everyone blessed Christmas, a peaceful New Year with vivid hope and solidarity in the unexpected trials and tribulations.
With the wholehearted love of Christ who “gave us the ministry of reconciliation”.