Christmas Greeting 2023

2023-12-26

It is Christmas again. A deep joy spreads over the earth, a discreet joy, like the light emanating from that manger in Bethlehem. This is how St John Henry Newman describes it: ‘kindly light'. Well then, this light and this joy pervade the world, even when the world seems not to realize it, rather to go in the opposite direction of hatred, war, violence, corruption, disrespect for the lives of others. Yet, this light has overcome the world, this light reaches the innermost fibres of our person, if we make room for it. In their humility, the joy and light of Christmas come to tell us that the Lord is with us, he is the Emmanuel, the One who mysteriously weaves our lives into a project of love, of consolation, of good. The year that is drawing to a close, has seen a new intercessor for the Church in Mongolia go to heaven: after the beloved Bishop Wens, the equally beloved Fr Kim has joined him and intercedes for us from heaven.

In recent months, we have had the historic visit of the Successor of St Peter, Pope Francis, who addressed words of profound evangelical wisdom, which I cordially invite you to meditate upon and make the subject of common pastoral and missionary reflection.

This is my wish: that we all know how to tune in to this humble joy and kindly light. If we do so, our lives will once again be caught up in the mystery of God-with-us, and we will become true witnesses of Christ here in Mongolia. Thank you very much, dear Missionaries and dear Friends, who keep sharing the joy of the Gospel with courage and determination. Thank you for the invaluable service you are rendering to the Church in Mongolia.

Merry Christmas to you all and Happy New Year in the Lord.

Cardinal Giorgio Marengo