Joy, Peace, and Hope Bursting Forth into the World

"Fear not, for behold, I bring you good
tidings of great joy which shall be to all
people. "The Savior, Jesus, was born,
wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid
in a manger. Just like Him, we humans
are born into this world and embark
upon the journey of life. The manger
symbolizes our home, the Earth, the
world we inhabit. The swaddled infant,
after fulfilling His mission upon the
cross as an adult, is wrapped in linen.
Leaving the cloth behind in the tomb,
new life emerges in the world, bringing
with it great joy, peace, and hope.

Mary said, "...be it done unto me according
to thy word" (Luke 1:38). What might have
happened if she had not accepted the
words of the angel Gabriel? And what about
Joseph, who "resolved in his mind to put
her away quietly" (Matthew 1:19)? If he
had truly severed ties with Mary, what kind
of world would we be living in today?
If that were the case, we would never have
welcomed the infant Jesus, born in a stable,
nor would we have witnessed Mary and
Joseph caring for him. I cannot imagine a
world where we do not find comfort in
seeing these three figures.
Reflecting on this, we feel compelled not only to say, "Savior Jesus,
thank you for being born," but also, "Mary, thank you so much for
accepting him. Joseph, what a steadfast man you are for making
such a significant and vital decision.”

This event on this holy night is truly wonderful. We cannot help but
praise God.

We give thanks to God for the grace-filled
journey of this Jubilee Year! May this
sacred time have led us to a life full of
hope and strengthened faith in God.

As we welcome the birth of Jesus, may
His light guide our paths to share His love
across all cultures and languages, so
that, as brothers and sisters, we continue
to bring hope to one another and spread
joy and peace in our community.

A Blessed Christmas and a Joyful New
Year to everyone!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

This year's Christmas celebration will take
place during the Holy Year, commemorating
2025 years since the birth of Christ. This
anniversary marks 2025 years since the
angel Gabriel announced the greatest hope
for humanity with the words: "Do not be
afraid, for I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people . Today in the
town of David, a Savior has been born to
you ; he is the Messiah, the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11).

The Catholic Church has declared a Holy
Year celebration, which began on Christmas
Eve 2024 and concludes with the Feast of
the Epiphany on January 6, 2026. The theme
of this Holy Year is "Pilgrims of Hope."

I pray that, amidst the anxieties of
war and other challenges, we reaffirm that the birth of Jesus, the Son of
God, is our greatest hope.