Walking towards hope Bishop Leo Frade’s message Christmas 2002

Christmas comes every year to remind us how things really are.

This joyful celebration breaks into our midst, dispelling any gloom or doom that may exist, just like early morning sun breaks into the darkness of night.

The greatest gift that we are able to receive during this celebration is the gift of hope that makes it possible for us to confront the uncertainty that exists all around us.

Yes, our economy is hurting, there is an imminent threat of war, even religious institutions have been discredited with cover-ups and sexual abuses, etc. Where are we going?  What is happening?

In the midst of all of this appears a ray of hope echoing that first proclaimed to the angel in the fields:

“Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” (Lk. 2:10-14)

The Gospel according to Luke continues relating how the shepherds in the fields decided to go into Bethlehem in order to see for themselves what had been announced to them. They didn’t even hesitate, but went with haste towards the city of Bethlehem to find the announced Messiah.

The shepherds had two choices. One was to remain doing the same habitual routine--after all, caring for the sheep was their job and their livelihood. But they were willing to take a chance, and instead they decided to go in search of their expectant hope; they dared to venture into the unknown and believe the good news proclaimed by the angels.

It seems that those are still our options today. We could ignore the promises given to us, or we could dare to risk going out in search of the hope that has been promised. When we dare to do so, we begin to see what many call the spirit of Christmas. When of a sudden, in the midst of our routine—what we call our reality--there appears a new way of acting towards others, a spirit of generosity that we didn’t know was there, a willingness to smile, and to be willing to yield to others. It is then that we begin to get a glimpse of a hope that reminds us how things really are.

I pray that during this Christmas all of us will be willing to walk towards the hope announced by the angels in the fields and prophesied for generations. That hope is Jesus, the Christ, our Lord and Savior. Do not be afraid! Dare to break your routine, to move away from the habitual. Dare to love and be loved, to be bold enough to care for others, and to be willing to open your hearts to make this world a little better.

 Now that the needs are greater, and a lack of hope abounds among many, both here and abroad, we are called by the One who is hope to bring hope to others.

I invite you this Christmas to be willing to live, to love and to be loved and also to believe that a better world can be achieved. If we dare to be and do what Christ is calling us to be, we become the instruments of change that God needs in our world.  Let us go forth towards hope, rejoicing in the fact that God has given us the greatest gift of all, Jesus his son.

updated 12/17/02