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Christmas Message 2011
A safety secures dramatic history! Safety because it safeguards the inevitable law of God. Secure because it is made secure though the general law of nature. It is uniquely proven so. Drama because it sounds like the narration of a drama, yet it is true to highest form of life ever lived by man on earth. It is much more than a mere drama, it is the fact of life, it is a stark history that no one can deny! But what makes it so, what virtue of a highest degree that reaches up to God in a way that even God should bend low where on earth only man committed sin by claiming equality with Him!
Perhaps it is purity; but God made man pure from the beginning. Perhaps it is poverty; but God made man equal on rights. What can upset God’s creation that in a single stroke it can make creation lose its purity, and richness by the same token. It was the same sin of the evil one, because evil is named after the evil one comparing himself with God who has had to be supreme over all. Evil suggested man to commit sin like himself, by which man became proud. That is a ‘lie against God’. Jesus called the Evil one ‘the father of lies from the beginning’.
Humility on the other hand is opposite of that act. As the lie is abhorrent of God, so is pride. Humility is truly loved by God, because humility is truth itself. Our Lady said that ‘My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in my saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant’.
God has been so pleased with her ‘lowliness’ that He has come so intimately and personally to her; so close to her that He was born of her. She is the way to all humanity, all those who imitate humility like her, are privileged and pleased to be closed to God’s heart. If we are humble like Mary at Christmas, we can receive Jesus in Holy Communion to feel closeness of God.
“Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and Holy is His name.”
Perhaps it is purity; but God made man pure from the beginning. Perhaps it is poverty; but God made man equal on rights. What can upset God’s creation that in a single stroke it can make creation lose its purity, and richness by the same token. It was the same sin of the evil one, because evil is named after the evil one comparing himself with God who has had to be supreme over all. Evil suggested man to commit sin like himself, by which man became proud. That is a ‘lie against God’. Jesus called the Evil one ‘the father of lies from the beginning’.
Humility on the other hand is opposite of that act. As the lie is abhorrent of God, so is pride. Humility is truly loved by God, because humility is truth itself. Our Lady said that ‘My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in my saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant’.
God has been so pleased with her ‘lowliness’ that He has come so intimately and personally to her; so close to her that He was born of her. She is the way to all humanity, all those who imitate humility like her, are privileged and pleased to be closed to God’s heart. If we are humble like Mary at Christmas, we can receive Jesus in Holy Communion to feel closeness of God.
“Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and Holy is His name.”
Archbishop of Calcutta
Most. Rev. Lucas Sircar SDB
Most. Rev. Lucas Sircar SDB
Co-adjuctor Archbishop Most. Rev. Thomas D’Souza
Christmas Message 2011
Dear Friends of the Archdiocese of Calcutta,
CHRISTMAS is a celebration of life and love in a family. The Trinitarian family and shared its divine life with the entire human family by sending the Second Person as a humble, weak, helpless babe in the family of Joseph and Mary. Family, the fundamental unit of society, is under threat from many quarters, affecting its unity and peace.
May Jesus be born anew in each catholic family in the Archdiocese of Calcutta, enabling it to live what it is called to be: a 'domestic church'. The sanctity of family life can never be emphasised sufficiently. May this Christmas strengthen the bond of love and life between married couples, between parents and children, making sharing and giving a way of life in all families. May the families experience the presence of the Saviour in their daily mutual caring and sharing, in prayer and work. 'Small Christian Communities' (SCC) need a special mention here since it is only through the power of the word of God and sacraments that true Christian life can be lived as 'communion of families', as an experience of sharing and loving. I thank God for the deep faith and commitment of so many of our lay faithful lived in their families, parishes, schools and associations.
My Christmas wishes go to the "family of priests" (" Presbyterium") of the Archdiocese of Calcutta. May the newborn Babe of Bethlehem help all our priests to be what they are called to be: Holy priests after His heart, servant leaders of the community under their care. May the families (Communities) of consecrated men and women in the Archdiocese of Calcutta become powerful 'witnesses' to Jesus who was poor, chaste and obedient. I thank God for the wonderful and generous priests and consecrated men and women we have in the Archdiocese, serving the Lord and His People very specially the poor, marginalised and sick with generosity, courage and commitment.
Christmas is a time when all of them can feel encouraged in their mission since Jesus came to earth to do the same. May the joy and peace fill the hearts of our Archbishops Henry and Lucas, our priests - young, old, sick and suffering - , consecrated men and women and all lay faithful. May Baby Jesus and His Mother Mary bless all the firends of the Archdiocese of Calcutta. May this blessing be also on the new updated website of our Archdiocese and on all those who have worked hard to update it.
A HAPPY CHRISTMAS and A GRACE-FILLLED NEW YEAR 2012 to all of you!
CHRISTMAS is a celebration of life and love in a family. The Trinitarian family and shared its divine life with the entire human family by sending the Second Person as a humble, weak, helpless babe in the family of Joseph and Mary. Family, the fundamental unit of society, is under threat from many quarters, affecting its unity and peace.
May Jesus be born anew in each catholic family in the Archdiocese of Calcutta, enabling it to live what it is called to be: a 'domestic church'. The sanctity of family life can never be emphasised sufficiently. May this Christmas strengthen the bond of love and life between married couples, between parents and children, making sharing and giving a way of life in all families. May the families experience the presence of the Saviour in their daily mutual caring and sharing, in prayer and work. 'Small Christian Communities' (SCC) need a special mention here since it is only through the power of the word of God and sacraments that true Christian life can be lived as 'communion of families', as an experience of sharing and loving. I thank God for the deep faith and commitment of so many of our lay faithful lived in their families, parishes, schools and associations.
My Christmas wishes go to the "family of priests" (" Presbyterium") of the Archdiocese of Calcutta. May the newborn Babe of Bethlehem help all our priests to be what they are called to be: Holy priests after His heart, servant leaders of the community under their care. May the families (Communities) of consecrated men and women in the Archdiocese of Calcutta become powerful 'witnesses' to Jesus who was poor, chaste and obedient. I thank God for the wonderful and generous priests and consecrated men and women we have in the Archdiocese, serving the Lord and His People very specially the poor, marginalised and sick with generosity, courage and commitment.
Christmas is a time when all of them can feel encouraged in their mission since Jesus came to earth to do the same. May the joy and peace fill the hearts of our Archbishops Henry and Lucas, our priests - young, old, sick and suffering - , consecrated men and women and all lay faithful. May Baby Jesus and His Mother Mary bless all the firends of the Archdiocese of Calcutta. May this blessing be also on the new updated website of our Archdiocese and on all those who have worked hard to update it.
A HAPPY CHRISTMAS and A GRACE-FILLLED NEW YEAR 2012 to all of you!
