If the face mask has covered our smiles,

do find a way that your eyes convey to others a look full of Jesus’ love.

We all know that all we celebrate and create during these days is centred on the nativity scene which reminds us of that event that happened many years ago when Our Lord Jesus Christ was born in a cave in Betlehem. Although nowadays many times we look upon this event as a scene which is somewhat nostalgic, when going into this a bit more deeply, one realizes that, with the happiness of the birth of a baby, that event entailed also so much suffering and uncertainty.

The Christmas that we are celebrating this year, in today’s particular circumstances, has perhaps found us feeling the same sentiments. We are living with so many restrictions, some of us are suffering from illness or fear, others are experiencing tension and uncertainty caused by the pandemic, and also due to other circumstances that perhaps one sustained or is still experiencing in life. In this reality, as happened two thousand years ago, Jesus is again going to be born! And on that day he changed humanity! On that day he became man for our sake! And today God is again going to become man for us. Today God wishes to come to us through so many persons and circumstances, and he wishes to reach others through us! Thus, he will again be a sign of hope for us all.

My invitation to each and every one of us therefore is that we are conscious of the need to be open to accept Jesus’ hope, that we let this change us, and that Jesus’ hope will encourage us to be capable of being a light to others. This, without doubt, forms part of our mission as baptised and persons ready to let God’s word be embedded in us and that we will be changed internally.

My wish is that we will be persons always ready to create opportunities for bringing Jesus to others, and even in those cases where perhaps we are finding difficulty in communicating with them in a serene manner. If the face mask has covered our smiles, let us find a way that our eyes convey a look full of Jesus’ love. This is what without doubt, our communities, families, and our society need during these times more than ever before!

This also is an appropriate time for us to show appreciation towards one another and therefore I take this occasion so that, in the name of our Province, I thank all those who, in some way or other, collaborate with us in the life of our communities, in pastoral initiatives, and in the celebrations in our churches. I wish to all of you that that Jesus’ gaze full of love will touch your hearts during this Christmastime, and that this will remain with you and with those close to you throughout the new year.

Fr. Leslie Gatt OSA

Prior Provincial