Christmas Year B December 25th, 2011
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE OF ARCHBISHOP DENIS HART
2011
Christmas comes to a world filled with families grieving the loss of young Australians in
war, the inroads of sickness which cuts life short, anger and wanton violence.
The birth of Jesus our Saviour as a baby reminds us that God's love is light in darkness,
constancy of love and faithfulness, which invites us to live by the love that he has first
shown us.
The blessings of Christmas are precious but fragile. A child is born into poverty. Kings
worship at his crib, but another king threatens his life. This child becomes the world's
greatest teacher, who offers us new hope and the means to be saved. He offers us the
possibility of giving to others; our time, our interest, our love, and he promises us a joy
beyond what we can imagine.
May Christmas be a time for God, who loved us first, and invites us to share his love
with others. May we bring peace and hope to all we meet and receive it in rich measure
ourselves, so that we can witness to the triumph of light and goodness over darkness and
evil.
May Christ give peace to our hearts and minds.
ARCHBISHOP OF MELBOURNE
GOSPEL: Jn 1:21-18
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory.
In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was
with God in the beginning. Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being
but through him. All that came to be had life in him and that life was the light of men, a
light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower. A man came, sent
by God. His name was John. He came as a witness, as a witness to speak for the light, so
that everyone might believe through him. He was not the light, only a witness to speak for
the light. The Word was the true light that enlightens all men; and he was coming into the
world. He was in the world that had its being through him, and the world did not know
him. He came to his own domain and his own people did not accept him. But to all who
did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name
of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh or will of man but of
God himself. The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the
glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. John appears as his
witness, He proclaims: 'This is the one of whom I said: He who comes after me ranks
before me because he existed before me.' Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us,
received - yes, grace in return for grace, since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; it is the only
Son, who is nearest to the Father's heart, who has made him known.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Stewardship Corner:
"She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was
no room for them in the inn." - Luke 2:7
Where is Jesus in your life? Have you made room for Him or is He still in the manger
wrapped in rags? If we are living our lives like all the rest of the modern and
commercial world, we may be leaving Jesus out. It might be time to pick up this Infant
Child and make Him a priority in our lives.
A Vocation View:
That we may make room for Jesus in our lives-making sure that our desire for material
things does not leave Our Lord out in the cold.
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE OF ARCHBISHOP DENIS HART
2011
Christmas comes to a world filled with families grieving the loss of young Australians in
war, the inroads of sickness which cuts life short, anger and wanton violence.
The birth of Jesus our Saviour as a baby reminds us that God's love is light in darkness,
constancy of love and faithfulness, which invites us to live by the love that he has first
shown us.
The blessings of Christmas are precious but fragile. A child is born into poverty. Kings
worship at his crib, but another king threatens his life. This child becomes the world's
greatest teacher, who offers us new hope and the means to be saved. He offers us the
possibility of giving to others; our time, our interest, our love, and he promises us a joy
beyond what we can imagine.
May Christmas be a time for God, who loved us first, and invites us to share his love
with others. May we bring peace and hope to all we meet and receive it in rich measure
ourselves, so that we can witness to the triumph of light and goodness over darkness and
evil.
May Christ give peace to our hearts and minds.
ARCHBISHOP OF MELBOURNE
GOSPEL: Jn 1:21-18
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory.
In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was
with God in the beginning. Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being
but through him. All that came to be had life in him and that life was the light of men, a
light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower. A man came, sent
by God. His name was John. He came as a witness, as a witness to speak for the light, so
that everyone might believe through him. He was not the light, only a witness to speak for
the light. The Word was the true light that enlightens all men; and he was coming into the
world. He was in the world that had its being through him, and the world did not know
him. He came to his own domain and his own people did not accept him. But to all who
did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name
of him who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh or will of man but of
God himself. The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the
glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. John appears as his
witness, He proclaims: 'This is the one of whom I said: He who comes after me ranks
before me because he existed before me.' Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us,
received - yes, grace in return for grace, since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; it is the only
Son, who is nearest to the Father's heart, who has made him known.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Stewardship Corner:
"She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was
no room for them in the inn." - Luke 2:7
Where is Jesus in your life? Have you made room for Him or is He still in the manger
wrapped in rags? If we are living our lives like all the rest of the modern and
commercial world, we may be leaving Jesus out. It might be time to pick up this Infant
Child and make Him a priority in our lives.
A Vocation View:
That we may make room for Jesus in our lives-making sure that our desire for material
things does not leave Our Lord out in the cold.
