Bishop's Christmas Message
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December 19, 2019Dear brother priests and dear deacons
Dear faithful of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie
Good news and great JOY to all the world:
today is born our Saviour, Christ the Lord. (Luke 2, 10-11)
Christmas is a time of celebration and joy. How clearly this is seen and felt in gatherings with family and friends, in Christmas music resonating everywhere, in gift exchanges and festive decorations, etc. The joy of Christmas is also felt in a spirit of solidarity and fraternity that seems more tangible at this time of year.
All these signs of joyful celebration flow from God’s own joy. Indeed, the joy of Christmas is the joy of God our Father who gives us his Son; it is the joy of Jesus who gives himself to us by becoming one of us, by living with us, close to us; it is the joy of the Holy Spirit who helps us discover in our own life the presence of the Emmanuel, God with us. The joy announced to us at Christmas is that of God who not only gave us life but who also gives himself to each of us.
Let us open our hearts to receive the life and joy that God graciously and abundantly gives us, not only at Christmas but also at every moment of our lives. Let us hear within our heart and soul the voice of God who invites us to find our own true joy in self-giving. Hence, by our simple gestures of love and kindness, we will reveal to others a glimpse of the infinite and unconditional love that God bestows upon each one of us.
Here is my wish for you and your loved ones during this Christmas season: may the Child Jesus who gives himself to us by making himself one of us be your JOY at Christmas and at every moment of the new year.
Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
+Marcel Damphousse
Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie