We're not in the mood for celebration these days. No way. Day after day, we are inundated with stories of unimaginable human violence. We must end wars. Yes, but we have short memories. And we quickly forget that no one wins in a war and everyone suffers. We all know that these lines say nothing new and are just some kind of wishful thinking. Useless. It's this uselessness of our chubby words that exasperates me.
Pope Francis speaks of the “fragmentation and disunity” that mark our times. He invites us to strengthen our hearts so that they are instruments of God's mercy. Although this mercy is a gift from heaven - which is free for all - we cannot avoid making an effort to implement it. And this is where we see a crack. A big wound that hurts us a lot. We feel that all our efforts are not up to par. We feel helpless. We are deeply challenged by our own failings. Let us allow the light of Christmas to penetrate our beings through our wounds.
May this Christmas season be a time of new beginnings for us. Let us look to the future with some hope that, even with our limited means, we can make things happen around us.
Happy Christmas and Happy New Year 2024.
fr. Benny Vincent, capuchin
Provincial Minister
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