For a Merry Christmas
(Baonghean.vn) - Christmas is the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Nowadays, Christmas has become a holiday that many people are interested in. This is not only a day of great significance for Catholics but also an occasion for many people to gather together and give each other warm feelings.
In addition, Christmas also brings a message of peace, everyone shares with the less fortunate, the elderly, the sick or those who are abandoned. Going beyond the religious framework, Christmas is an occasion for each of us to immerse ourselves in the warm atmosphere with friends and loved ones.
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| The road to the churches is as bright as flower roads. In the photo: The road to Van Loc parish church - Nam Dan. Photo courtesy |
The Gospel according to Saint Matthew records that since that day, “God is with us”. Indeed, when God was present in the world, He created for mankind an ambition, an aspiration for freedom, equality, charity, forgiveness, tolerance and generosity. Besides, Christmas is also a message of peace: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will”.
Throughout history since gaining independence in 1945, our Party and State, headed by President Ho Chi Minh, have reserved special affection for Catholics on the occasion of this great holiday. Surely Vietnamese Catholics will never forget President Ho Chi Minh's letter to Catholic compatriots on Christmas 1948, in which he wrote "Today, our people celebrate God's birthday in an atmosphere of war, because the French invaders are still trampling our country. But in the future, our people will celebrate God's birthday in a peaceful and happy atmosphere because at that time, there will no longer be any French invaders in our country.".
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| Van Loc children in Nam Loc commune - Nam Dan are happy next to their newly made nativity scenes, eagerly awaiting a Christmas season full of memories. Photo courtesy |
His prophecy is also the aspiration for independence and freedom that the descendants of the Dragon and Fairy are determined to fight against foreign invaders to keep the country peaceful. The historic victory of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, the Great Spring Victory in 1975 and after more than 32 years of renovation, our people and our country have turned a new page in history. The heroic history of the transitional period, combined with the indomitable will of the spirit of "Great National Unity" has brought our nation to a new height.
Another Christmas season is upon us "Lord, please grant peace in our hearts, peace in our families, peace in our country, peace among our peoples…”. Those are the words in the prayer every time Catholics pray to Almighty God.
To have a peaceful Christmas, millions of Vietnamese families, including Catholics, have sacrificed so much sweat, effort and blood. Therefore, today, we cannot, because of our lack of understanding of each other, destroy the beautiful image of the Vietnamese countryside, destroy the image of Christ, the model of sacrifice, love and forgiveness, born in the manger of Bethlehem.
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| People of Luu My parish in Tru Son - Do Luong are excited to have new, unique projects to welcome Christmas 2018. Photo: Huy Thu |
Christmas is also an occasion for each of us to look back at ourselves and examine what we have done for the peace of our village and homeland. Saint Augustine said: "God created you and needs you, but He cannot save you if you do not cooperate with Him." Because humans cannot blame God for their own salvation. We should not take advantage or hatred to exchange for God's love. God's justice, integrity and fairness are clear, there are great rewards in Heaven, and sins must be punished severely by hellfire.
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| Jesus was born in a cave. Photo: Internet |
The Child was born in a manger to connect the love of the carpenter, the settlers, the shepherds and the cows, goats and sheep in the cold winter night. God is love, Christmas is associated with peace and wishes to bring happiness to those who know how to trust and follow the path of love of the Child Jesus. Also from the manger, God created mankind so that people can have the honor to collaborate with Him.by using God-given wisdom to complete what is lacking in creation.
Only then can we demonstrate the nobility of human beings whose intelligence surpasses all other animals. If humans know how to restrain themselves and see the light from the Bethlehem cave, our courageous, warm, forgiving, and tolerant attitude toward those who are not of the same faith will be the path that helps us enjoy happiness in this life and the next. Lord Jesus, because of your love for us, you accepted to be born in a manger, then died on the cross to atone for our sins, and rose again to give us salvation.
Please help us realize the value of the suffering we encounter in our daily lives, so that we can follow Your example and be willing to endure the sufferings of the cross, which are against Your will and our unrighteous actions today that cause suffering and resentment towards those around us. Please, for the love of You, help us to increase our faith, hope, and love for You and actively cooperate with You to bring love to everyone.
Another Christmas season is coming so close, so close that we can not only see it but also touch it clearly. Even when we close our eyes, we can feel the sweetness of Christmas, amen!