In spite of the covid – 19 pandemic, eleven months in the year 2021 are over and we have entered into the last month, i.e. December. We could not celebrate the feast of Christmas last December with the traditional religious fervor due to the threat of corona virus and now, its variant called omicron virus has surfaced deadlier than delta virus and as of now we cannot fathom as to what will happen at the time of the celebration of this most beautiful and sought after feast of the year by people of all walks of life. The eternal gifts of peace, joy and love of Christmas cannot be compromised with and threatened by a virus like Omicron. This unseen virus though true and real needs to be carefully watched out and the unseen gifts of peace, joy and love need to be transmitted to and among our brothers and sisters without fear so that the enemy virus cannot overpower the solemnity and nobility of Christmas and its eternal gifts. I invite you to continue to pray hard so that the threat of the new virus may ease out and joy, peace and love get into our hearts and we are able to celebrate Christmas with its usual gaiety and solemnity.
This month of December will lead us to the dawn of the New Year 2022. Hence, let us find time to reflect upon the months that have passed by so that we are able to count our blessings seen and unseen and thank God for His mercies and benevolence surrendering ourselves continually because without Him, we can do nothing: “I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Let us continue to be united to and with Christ firmly with and through our faith commitment and never be attracted to and by the glamour and glitter of this world which plans to celebrate Christmas differently by commercializing the mystery of Incarnation into a business enterprise.
The celebration of CHRISTMAS is not just an annual event but continues to be the demonstration of our faith in the mystery of incarnation and the historical fact of God’s loving entry into our human history in the person of Jesus Christ. May therefore this faith event of incarnation of Christ which we so very lovingly call Christmas drive away all fears, worries and anxieties from all of us and fill us truly with God’s peace, joy and love which are its eternal gifts. I wish you all a very happy Christmas and a joyous and grace-laden New Year 2022.
X Gerald Isaac Lobo
Bishop of Udupi