Cardinal Puljić: Let us encourage one another in humility so that we forgive each other

Metropolitan Archbishop of Vrhbosna Cardinal Vinko Puljić has sent a Christmas message for 2014, which the Patria news agency transmits in full. 

-In the celebration of Christmas we celebrate this mystery which was preceded by personal preparation through prayer, penance, personal confession, forgiveness and reconciliation so that the mystery of Christmas may be born in our hearts.

There was also communal preparation in the family and in the parish, especially through the morning Holy Masses which we call Advent Masses, as well as family prayer and numerous works of solidarity of Christian love. All of this was an act of opening our hearts so that Jesus has a place in us and among us, so that what happened to him when he had no place in the inn does not happen. We want to make room for him, not in a manger, not for him to be exiled from our midst and public life, but we want to give him the recognized and accepted right that He who entered the history of humanity and the history of every person may be recognizable. We can no longer live as if He had not become incarnate and was born as the God-Man. The celebration of Christmas should renew the recognizable face of a Christian in private and public life so that we live from conviction.

Renew all things in Christ

Noticing the situation in our Archdiocese, which „steals our hope“, and many have lost the joy of life, we decided to „go together“ which means to hold a Synod. We decided to carry out this Synod in the Archdiocese under the motto Renew all things in Christ. We must again recognize that on our path we are not alone; that in our suffering we are not alone but Christ entered our history. He is alive today. To rejoice at Christmas means to recognize Christ on our life's path in our achievements and searches.

I feel the need as your shepherd, while I call you to renewal, to also wholeheartedly surrender myself to that mystery of Jesus' presence; in that to experience renewed hope, courage for life and persistent proclamation of that God's love, which was manifested and which we recognize in the celebration of Christmas.

Likewise, all priests, who celebrate the mysteries of salvation for you, need this renewal so that they may joyfully and enthusiastically proclaim and witness that manifested love of God.

In this year of consecrated life, the Pope especially desires that religious men and women live the present more enthusiastically in community and embrace the future with hope. In a community, joyfully lived faith makes the Church attractive, says Pope Francis.

In this preparation for the Synod, we all felt that we most urgently need to renew in Christ our families, the Church in miniature. Thus, our Archdiocese will not succeed in renewing itself if it does not start from the family, which is the nest of life, faith, culture, spiritual vocations and the future of the entire society.

The God-Man was born as a little child, as the Servant of God Stadler would say, so that we would not fear him, but love him. He chose the Immaculate One to become incarnate in her by the Holy Spirit, and through her be born as a little child. That greatest treasure of God he entrusted to Saint Joseph as the patron of the Holy Family, that is, Mary and Jesus. He justified God's trust, and in full faith served God's plan. Mary, „obedient in faith“, heard and accepted God's word with joyful consent: Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word. (Lk 1:38). That closeness of God is the cause of our Christmas joy. In this joy we wish to approach the renewal of our hearts, our families, our communities and the entire archdiocese.

To wish a Merry Christmas means to accept Christ

In the celebration of the Mystery of Jesus' birth, let us encourage one another in humility so that we forgive each other, because we know: there is no peace of God where there is no forgiveness. We extend the hand of communion, let us wish the joy of Christmas to one another and Jesus' presence in our life's journey. Wishing a Merry Christmas, we want to multiply joy through our Christian love by wiping away tears of pain, comforting the sorrowful, encouraging the weak, so that Jesus' closeness may reign in all of us because we want to be renewed in him.

We want to recognize ourselves as touched by goodness and nobility, we want to bring light into everyday life. Let those Christmas lights, like Christmas candles, signify this. Let hope that springs from the mystery of Jesus' birth radiate from our eyes. Let our renewal in Christ bring more joy and trust in God into public life, so that we may more enthusiastically and courageously love the life given to us and justify God's trust with which we should live the present for the future.

While I send you this Christmas message and congratulate you on Jesus' birth, I wish that harsh swearing, every quarrel and source of hatred disappear, that so much division and opposition on the path of faith disappear. May Christmas bring the joy of life, encouraged hope, readier solidarity and more courageous united commitment for our survival and equal rights in this society which we all must build. May Jesus bring comfort to the grieving, the poor, those who are unemployed, who are lonely and sick. Especially may he bring joy to children so that they grow in the atmosphere of family love and a healthy society.

May the celebration of Jesus' birth bring light into our everyday life and commitment to be Christ's, renewed in his love.

A Merry Christmas and Jesus' birth to you, and blessed be all Christmas days. In the new year 2015, may every blessing of God accompany you!