This year we celebrate the Christmas Season within the Year
of Faith declared by Pope Benedict XVI. What can the Year of Faith contribute
to the Christmas spirit? Faith is a living and sustained relationship with God.
It is the Triune God who initiates this relationship by coming to us. Faith
becomes complete in our response to God in trust and love, transforming our
relationship with other people, society and creation.
In a real sense, Christmas is all about faith. To remove
faith from Christmas is to empty it of its meaning. It is a season born of
faith and a privileged time to renew our faith. On the one hand, Christmas
vividly recalls the coming of the Savior Jesus Christ, incarnate by the power
of the Holy Spirit. He comes as one like us except in sin, because as the
Savior he cannot participate in humanity’s rejection of God. He opens the door
for us to enter God’s life. His obedience and fidelity is the door to God. He
is the way. On the other hand, every Christmas season invites us to receive
Jesus as the true Son of God become flesh, to accept him as our Savior and to
enter the door to life in the Holy Spirit. Faith in God leads us to solidarity
with our neighbors, especially the poor whom Jesus loves. Faith makes us
sharers in Jesus’ saving mission and heralds of true freedom from all that
enslaves us.
I pray that all Christians may appreciate more the precious
gift of faith during this Christmas season. As we behold the Christ Child,
humble and poor, let us thank God for his great love for us and let us respond
with all the love we could give. Only pure divine love can save us! I wish all
you and your loved ones a Blessed Christmas and a Peaceful New Year!
+ LUIS ANTONIO G. CARDINAL TAGLE
Archbishop of Manila
