Christians this year are compelled to be with the poor this Christmas as the country is rampant with a severe  economic crisis, Catholic Bishops Conference in Sri Lanka said yesterday.

“Christmas compels us to address the severe moral, political and economic crises and calls us to respond to the cry of the poor and needy who are struggling to survive due to the sky rocketing prices of essential goods, milk powder of children and infants, not forgetting the prices of medicine. There is no better way to celebrate the joy of Christmas than by sharing with the poor and those suffering,” the Bishops Conference said in its Christmas message.

Following is the full message.

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, which is God’s merciful entry into human history to redeem us from the repercussions of sin and evil. Christmas is the incarnation of the Son of God which is the living sign that God loves humankind so deeply. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16).

This unfathomable love of God is the cause of our joy at Christmas. The name given to Jesus at His birth is “Emmanuel” which means “God with us”. Thus, Christmas is a living reminder that God loves humankind so much and He continues to be with us as we journey through this life, with all its joys and sorrows. Hence, the celebration of Christmas cannot and should not be a mere recalling of a past event. It is an occasion to deepen our relationship with God who is born to live for us and live with us. It compels us to address the severe moral, political and economic crises and calls us to respond to the cry of the poor and needy who are struggling to survive due to the sky rocketing prices of essential goods, milk powder of children and infants, not forgetting the prices of medicine. There is no better way to celebrate the joy of Christmas than by sharing with the poor and those suffering.

Christmas is a clarion call for us to realize the beauty of our faith and the value of life so as to witness to its fullness in the society we live. Christmas always remains a joyful season. If it is left to be a time of external festivity and fanfare, it will lose its spiritual depth and meaning. Therefore we need to go back to the spirit of the first Christmas at the manger.

Let us commit ourselves to celebrate a meaningful Christmas encountering the Lord Jesus in our own brothers and sisters. As we give thanks to God for this unique gift of Jesus to our world, let us pray for our country that justice, peace and harmony prevail.

We wish all our faithful, and all people of goodwill a Blessed Christmas! 

• There is no better way to celebrate the joy of Christmas than by sharing with the poor and those suffering