Every autumn reminds me of my vulnerability
It carries the truth that life is fragile
Every spring reminds me of my joy
It brings the truth that there is hope for new life.
World Poetry Day  

 
CHOOSING LIFE

Every autumn reminds me of my vulnerability
It carries the truth that life is fragile
Every spring reminds me of my joy
It brings the truth that there is hope for new life.
 
Every Seed dies to choose new form of life
Every Caterpillar desires to become a beautiful butterfly
Each letting go welcomes the new reality of life
Each labour pain brings new life in to this world.
 
Choose life to cultivate love in the barren heart
Light a candle in the darkened world by choosing life
Choose life to apply medicine to the wounded Cosmos
Give life to the dream of our Founder by choosing life
 
May each and every living being of this world choose life
In each and every moment of their lives
We the daughters of Pierre Bienvenu Noailles choose life- to
Respond creatively and prophetically to the signs of times.
 
Jesus chose life on Calvary for the love of humanity
Holy Family choosing life lived humble service at Nazareth
Bienvenu Noailles choosing life found a family of God alone
We choose life in communion with God, humanity and the cosmos
 
I saw the birds of every colour and fruits and flowers of all season in the garden of Pierre Bienvenu Noailles
They flourish by the sweetness of love, harmony and unity of each other
New melodies break forth from the garden while choosing life
This is the essence of the song “WE ARE PART OF THE WEB OF LIFE, GLORY TO GOD ALONE”
Sr. Eugene Barthelot

In our first contacts with the people of the district where we are inserted, we felt very welcomed, especially by the women – by Alicia, Zulma, María, Nelly, Nazaré, Mary, Ida…We have had long conversations with them, exchanged addresses and telephone numbers. And we made plenty of time to share our life stories with one another.

“Tears will be transformed into laughter and blows into fortitude”

(Nelly Borquez)

In our first contacts with the people of the district where we are inserted, we felt very welcomed, especially by the women – by Alicia, Zulma, María, Nelly, Nazaré, Mary, Ida…We have  had long conversations with them, exchanged addresses and telephone numbers.  And we made plenty of time to share our life stories with one another.  There were common points in each shared story such as the search for dignity and for their rights as women, the problems of our young people and the problem of drugs, the daily struggle to feed themselves and their families, concern for the education of their children, stories of violence that they have suffered personally, violence that has touched the lives of other women whom they accompanied, deaths of loved ones….

In the Eucharist after listening to the Gospel (Mark 1, 40-45), we took time to share our thoughts on the text.  We were surprised by the fact that some people linked the text with the discrimination experienced today, in their homes, in the district and even in Christian communities.  People are discriminated against because of the colour of their skin, because they are different, because they think differently.  We were all touched by what one of the women, Dona Duarte shared: “I was waiting in the pharmacy and behind me a Bolivian woman came in.  She had two children with her and a baby in her arms.  The owner of the pharmacy asked me if she could attend the Bolivian lady first.  I thought that she was being considerate but when she said she wanted to serve her first because she wanted rid of her since she lowered the tone of the place and she could drive away other customers, I felt quite disillusioned”

This experience of sharing our faith with men and women of the wider community moved us and challenged us to be open, to listen to what God is saying to us through this reality.  This reality teaches us to be flexible, to leave aside certain mental structures and prejudices and to bring all this to our personal and community prayer.  We need to take time to be in silence before God, to silence our busy thoughts, concerns and allow God’s Spirit to lead us, put us in touch with our inner thirst, our deepest and most dynamic desires.

One of our desires is to learn to work as a Network, to promote life.  This is why we got in touch with the “Women’s House” – a centre that operates in our area.  Two of the women in the Centre, Nelly and Nazare welcomed us when we went.

Nelly Borquez is a 62 year old woman who co-ordinates a network of 14 centres where women who are victims of domestic violence come for help.  She pioneered this work in La Matanza, Buenos Aires.  At our first meeting she told us: “I am a militant, feminist Christian and I am very much in tune with liberation theology”.

She co-ordinates theological formation courses for lay people.  She became involved with the issue of domestic violence in 1989 when she herself suffered violence at the hands of her partner: “It was at the time of high inflation and we organized popular kitchens in the localities.  And from there with other women we began to gather together to talk about ourselves and our problems”

From 1993, she also began to work with “violent men” who had been sentenced by the courts for violence against women and children. 

Nelly told us that one of the first tasks to carry out is to help women free themselves from cultural and religious messages that have been internalised since infancy.

After asking us what we would like, she invited us to collaborate in a Centre called “Women’s Wheel”.  This is situated close to our house.  She also offered us formation for ourselves since we all have to go through the process of liberating ourselves from destructive messages if we are to be in a position to be of help to others.

After saying goodbye to Nelly and Nazare, and as we walked home together we heard someone call out to us: “Wait! Are you the Sisters?  Hello.  My name is Ida.  This is my house and it is open to you whenever you would like to visit and take tea, or water …I have a lot to tell you”

Our Corporate Commitment invites us to “Choose Life”, which demands a change of mentality so as to understand, feel and situate ourselves in a new way of relating to God, to humanity, to the earth and to all of creation” (CC)  We participate in  meetings that are called “Rooted for Life” where we explore a feminist holistic spirituality.  These encounters help us progress in this change of mentality, enabling us to feel that we are part of a wider family.  The meetings take place every two months and women from all over Buenos Aires participate – mothers of families, sisters of different religious congregations, women who have suffered violence….These meetings provide the space to reflect, share, seek together, encourage one another to change and grow.  We look at and analyse our own stories from a woman’s perspective; we listen to one another, we share our experience of God using new and different language, we value our feminine intuition and our creativity to imagine and create a different future.

We believe that “Love inhabits our personal stories and it is felt in the fragility of every beginning in life, where we can live a spirituality that takes root in the depths of our being and helps us live in freedom, creativity and fidelity to who we are and wish to be”

We feel very grateful for the present moment, for what we are living now, for so many good people that we meet on our journey and on whom we can depend…

Ana María Alvarez y Zulema Frank
Comunidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Bishop Gunnar Stålsett led an ECRL delegation including Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra, Sister Marian Murcia, Professor Senaid Bülent, Mr. Vakhtang Kipshidze, and General Secretary Stein Villumstad to Kyrgyzstan 19 – 22 December. The visit was a follow up of a January 2011 delegation visit and conference, which encouraged ECRL to accompany Kyrgyz religious leaders in their efforts to contribute to reconciliation and nation building in the aftermath of violent conflicts in their country.

DIFFERENT FAITHS- COMMON ACTION

 
ECRL delegation on a year-end solidarity visit to Kyrgyzstan
 

 
Bishop Gunnar Stålsett led an ECRL delegation including Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra, Sister Marian Murcia, Professor Senaid Bülent, Mr. Vakhtang Kipshidze, and GeneralSecretary Stein Villumstad to Kyrgyzstan 19 – 22 December. The visit was a follow up of a January 2011 delegation visit and conference, which encouraged ECRL to accompany Kyrgyz religious leaders in their efforts to contribute to reconciliation and nation building in the aftermath of violent conflicts in their country. The ECRL delegation engaged in conversations with representatives of government, religious leaders, civil society groups and international organizations in Bishkek and Osh. The delegation was informed about progress and challenges in the political and economic developments in the country since the social and political upheavals in June 2010. They heard reports of civil society efforts to address humanitarian and human rights challenges, and received updates on the initiative to explore a possible mechanism for interreligious cooperation, an interreligious council.
 
All of this will hopefully give incentives to our Kyrgyz partners for a continued process of inter-religious cooperation for reconciliation between groups and communities, compassion with the vulnerable groups and constructive engagement with authorities in building the Kyrgyz nation. Dialogue on “Arab Spring” process as it unfolds
 

 
The Consultation which gathered some twenty religious leaders at Stiklestad National Culture Centre in Norway to elaborate on the processes going on in the “Arab Spring” during the days 10 and 11 January 2012 from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as well as representatives of Africa and Europe to explore challenges and possibilities in the nation building following the “Arab Spring”. This consultation is part of a Religions for Peace process that started with a meeting of the MENA Council of Religions for Peace in Marrakesh in November 2011.
Organised by European Council of Religious Leaders (ECRL), the consultation focused on challenges and opportunities emerging from the revolutions and upheavals that have taken place in a number of Middle Eastern and North African countries during this last one year, and that are still unfolding.  We noted the significance of popular participation and the role of women and youth as one of the main features of the revolutions.  We further examined the role of religious leaders in relationship to their own communities, to other religious communities, political authorities and the movements of change. The consultation also discussed the European response to the “Arab Spring”, and explored possible ways of constructive interaction between religious leaders and their communities that may transcend national and regional borders. 
 
The participants committed themselves whole-heartedly to engage with others in promoting democratic development, human rights, social justice and human dignity in their own countries and the region.  
 

As we go forth under the banner of the Holy Family, we must have but one heart and one soul, and we must work together to extend the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Pierre Bienvenu NoaillesOn 8 February 1861 – 2012 As we go forth under the banner of the Holy Family, we must have but one heart and one soul, and we must work together to extend the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.  But since we are dispersed in different countries, how can we be united? We are occupied in different activities, so how can we work together? We will be united by praying for one another! No matter how far apart we are, we can meet in the Heart of Jesus. We shall work together and share in each of the projects of the Society by praying for their success and their extension. Through prayer the most isolated Associate, who seems to have no part in the work of the Holy Family, shares in all the good that the others do, and contributes to it more efficaciously perhaps than she would do by her works. When a priest of the Holy Family preaches, when a Lady of Charity visits the poor or the imprisoned, when the spouse of Jesus Christ teaches young people and consoles the afflicted, do not the prayers of the other members draw down on them the graces required to make their zeal bear fruit? Conference, September 1839Spiritual Guide – No: 70   *****************************************   There is nothing now that can check your course. Go forward, increase in numbers and virtues, and may your hands scatter on all sides the divine seed of good works and good example. (…) These are my most ardent desires. At the end of my career, when the weight of years and the infirmities (…) that I shall soon be leaving you, what else could I desire on this earth (…) therefore you should become more fervent every day, that you should feel more and more keenly how sweet it is to love and serve our Divine Master, that you should make this known to a vast number of souls, and that throughout your life and at the hour of your death, you should enjoy all the consolations and all the merits which I earnestly beseech Our Lord to deign to attach to this last paternal blessing: My beloved Daughters, dear Associates of the Holy Family, may Jesus, Mary and Joseph be always with you! Preface form the 1851 General Rules.   

When the Son of God came to be born amongst people, it was not in Herod’s palace but in a manger. He was not surrounded by the rich and great, but by poor shepherds.
It was in the cottage of the poor artisan, with Joseph and Mary that he spent the greater part of his life.
SOME TEXTS OF OUR FOUNDER …    When the Son of God came to be born amongst people, it was not in Herod’s palace but in a manger. He was not surrounded by the rich and great, but by poor shepherds.  It was in the cottage of the poor artisan, with Joseph and Mary that he spent the greater part of his life.  He wished to remind us of this visit in the circumstance of which we celebrate, today the anniversary. What is the house of Lorette? The most humble, poor, dispised by all the communities of Bordeaux; some poor girls, (…) having no sure means of existence and living from day to day.  They got no consideration; they were mocked; dispised, treated as fools. That is why Jesus Christ chose them. The fruits of this Benediction will be kept at the same cost. Let us not envy the prosperities, the glitter, and the riches.What may we not hope? Jesus blessed us,He is with us,He will always be!” (Source 6, Vol. 2.455).   The Benediction of 3rd February,in the difficult times of the new-born Association,is the mark of God,the sign of God,who not only blessed the work,but in unveiling Himself: “I am He who is”,sealed the very spirit which animated this community.He thus confirmed the original grace.  

Many people in the world knew the Holy Father John Paul II from his publications, encyclicals, speeches, homilies, letters, meetings and travels. Many persons, not only Catholics, loved this Man. The memory of John Paul II is still alive, especially in Poland.
JOHN PAUL II WEEK IN POLAND Many people in the world knew the Holy Father John Paul II from his publications, encyclicals, speeches, homilies, letters, meetings and travels. Many persons, not only Catholics, loved this Man. The memory of John Paul II is still alive, especially in Poland.Every year we celebrate Pope’s day. This holiday is celebrated only in Poland in all the dioceses since 2001. It is always observed on a Sunday preceding the anniversary of Cardinal Karol Wojty?a election to the papacy. This year was the 11-th time we celebrated this holiday. This year it had a special meaning as it is also then year of Pope’s beatification. Since this year is so important the holiday has been extended into a full week of celebration from 9 to 16 October. An initiative with spiritual, cultural and social character, each annual event addresses an aspect of the teachings of John Paul II. The New Millennium foundation of the Polish Bishops’ Conference had promoted the initiative and scheduled a series of events for the week. This year’s theme was: John Paul II – a man of prayer. In many parishes there were concerts, lectures and meetings to promote the teaching and life lessons of late Pope. These events accentuated the Holy Father as a great man of prayer, who spent hours in prayer everyday and who always wanted to be united with God. His every decision was taken in prayer. The press media reminisced Pope through countless images of John Paul during prayer around the world. On Sunday, October 9, many volunteers of The New Millennium foundation collected donations around the country, mainly in front of churches prior and after the Sunday Mass. These funds are then used to sponsor the pope’s scholarships for the most talented disadvantaged, mostly coming from small towns and rural areas. These scholarships are meant to aid students, young people who are in a difficult financial situation in achieving their scholastic goals. They are used to buy books, supplies as well as language courses or housing. This program is a continuation of Pope’s life work as a supporter of youth and the first pope who reached out to them directly by organizing World Youth Days. In his words these are the LiveMonument celebrating his life and so is the work of the foundation.  Poland will always be celebrating its Great Man but hopefully the rest of the world will take the initiative and spread the joyous event. Sr. Magdalena Ajdys, Community of Warsaw, Poland  

When we hear the cry… What do we do when we hear a cry? Normally we check the reason for this cry. If the cry is loud it cannot be missed. However, there are many people in need who will not, or cannot, cry out. One reason may be that they are too frightened to do so; another that they are too ashamed to draw attention to their plight. This is often the case with women forced into prostitution by human traffickers.
RENATE – 1st International Conference(Religious in Europe Networking Against Trafficking and Exploitation) When we hear the cry… What do we do when we hear a cry? Normally we check the reason for this cry. If the cry is loud it cannot be missed. However, there are many people in need who will not, or cannot, cry out. One reason may be that they are too frightened to do so; another that they are too ashamed to draw attention to their plight. This is often the case with women forced into prostitution by human traffickers. RENATE, the network of women religious committed to working together against human trafficking and exploitation in Europe, organised a Conference on this theme.  The meeting took place in the Salvatorian retreat Centre in Trzebinia near Krakow, Poland, from 4-9 September 2011. The 72 participants came from 18 countries: Albania, Austria, Croatia, CzechRepublic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United Kingdom. The US was present in the person of the Facilitator.  Those invited were already committed to the work of countering human trafficking and to helping survivors. A number of beginners willing to get involved in this work were also present. I was one of the 6 members of the Irish organisation, APT (Act to Prevent Trafficking), participating. Two members of APT formed part of the steering committee that prepared the Conference.  The programme was designed for sharing and exchanging experiences and coordinating our work into the future. Each day began with the Eucharist celebrated in the chapel of the centre. A liturgy team had prepared a week-long ritual of reconciliation, Scripture readings and responses  leading to the kneading and breaking of bread from the wheat of many countries. It took place in the main assembly hall each morning.  Two keynote speakers were invited: Ian Linden, Director of Policy of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation and British feminist theologian, Mary Grey. Ian Linden‘s input, Human Rights and Human Trafficking, together with the responses raised the following questions and points for discussion: Ø     How can we encourage the victims to speak out about their experiences? Ø     What might be some recommendations for prevention work with women against trafficking? Ø     The victims do not often consider themselves as victims but as the guilty ones. What are some strategies to deal with this? Ø     How do we get men religious to work with this problem? Ø     Are we at the cutting edge or are we just clearing up the mess left by the traffickers? Ø     We are a small Church in a big world. We used to be a big Church in a small world. Has the Church still got a prophetic voice in this field of work? If so, where is it heard? Ø     The driving engine is demand.  How do we conscientise both men and women to work against it?  Mary Grey‘s input entitled Created for dignity and well-being, dwelt on the theology and spirituality of response to the issues around trafficking of women. Her key concept introduced the group to the spirituality of sumud – an Arabic word meaning steadfastness, perseverance.  In discussion, issues arose relating to some further questions: Ø     How do we discover/share the greater wisdom amongst us when we work together? Ø     How do we listen to alternative points of view/ different theologies; different languages; different cultures, when we know the most important thing in our ministry is to show the women their dignity?  There were two presentations of a ‘hands-on’ experience of running shelters for victims of human trafficking, the first located in Poland and the second in Albania. The Polish presenter, a sister from a local congregation, was as an inspiring example of faith in action and prophetic witness. With no resources whatever and no specific training, she went into the unknown world of the red-light districts and gradually won the trust of the women. Help came from unexpected sources when needed to provide shelter and accommodation for the women who wished to get another way of life, but the task was and remains onerous. We made a collection to help her in some small way. Seven topics for workshops included: Law and Trafficking, Women‘s Rights for Freedom, Justice and to Speak their Truth, Legalising Prostitution Means Legalising Violence Against Women, Lobbying, Demand, The Prophetic Role of Women Religious in Counter Trafficking and Catholic Social Teaching. It was only possible for each participant to attend one workshop due to time constraints but the main points from the inputs and discussions were posted for all to read leading to further interaction and further issues being raised. Another intervention by In Via, Berlin, exposed how human traffickers are making greater use of the internet and social media to attract and recruit victims. Two field trips offered half way through the programme enabled participants to touch a grassroots reality by choosing to visit either a shelter for trafficked victims and a boarding school for girls in trouble or Auschwitz and the Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation a short distance from it. As a result of all this listening, discussion and reflection the following proposals for RENATE surfaced:   Ø     The conference is recognised as providing a resource for the sharing of materials, information and training;Ø     The next steering group is to include equal numbers of members from Eastern and Western Europe;Ø     Links with UCESM (European Conference of Religious) to be made; Ø     The website is to be translated into more languages;Ø     RENATE to lead the global Olympic campaign (2012) for UISG (Union of Major religious Superiors);Ø     Training in social communication for the members to be introduced; Ø     Training in fund-raising for members to be introduced; Ø     Ongoing commitment of all to the annual joint campaign for European Day against Trafficking, October 18th;Ø     A commitment has been made to work together into the future.  It is worth mentioning here that RENATE was only established on a legal footing with financial underpinning in 2010. It started with 15 members. A steering committee of six was formed and given a mandate to plan a conference for 2011 to launch the network. The conference was financed entirely by donations from a variety of sources such as religious congregations and other corporate bodies. Some congregations are committed to ongoing financial support. The mission of RENATE is evolving. It has made a commitment to work not only with the victims but to study the roots of the problem and to forward its mission in the light of all the insights gained during those four days. Being of one voice, one heart and one passion enables the group to work not only in solidarity but also to think together strategically.  At the end of the conference we were all given a memory stick with the main talks, discussion reports and even the press releases sent out by the communications person. It was practically a paperless meeting. And, of course, we had a party on the last night, and what a party, with typical Polish food and drink and a quartet of musicians to set us all dancing with abandon.  The above is mainly an account of the working and programme of the conference. But there was more to it. There was an extraordinary atmosphere of communion generated by the commitment and sense of urgency of all those involved in this work of combating human trafficking. It was also fascinating to get such a clear insight also into the workings of a network. By definition, a network has no structures, no base and no chiefs. The mandate of the Steering Committee that organised this conference finished with the conference. Most of their work was done via email and Skype. When they had to meet on a couple of occasions they were given hospitality by the SRTV (the Dutch Religious Foundation against Trafficking), in one of their convents. The various tasks were apportioned and efficiently carried out. Those of us who were at the receiving end could only marvel at how smoothly everything ran.  A new Steering Committee with equal members from East and West Europe will organise the next conference. And, the networking goes on. News items, information on action taken in various places in Europe, calls to action, anything that is of interest in the field is being disseminated to all of us. Help is being requested where required and most often it is forthcoming. All this is happening via the internet, the social media or email.   Síle McGowanClane Community   

The beginning of a new year, God’s gift to humanity, prompts me to extend to all, with great confidence and affection, my heartfelt good wishes that this time now before us may be marked concretely by justice and peace.
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESSPOPE BENEDICT XVIFOR THE CELEBRATION OF THEWORLD DAY OF PEACE1 JANUARY 2012  EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE IN JUSTICE AND PEACE 1. The beginning of a new year, God’s gift to humanity, prompts me to extend to all, with great confidence and affection, my heartfelt good wishes that this time now before us may be marked concretely by justice and peace.With what attitude should we look to the New Year? We find a very beautiful image in Psalm 130. The Psalmist says that people of faith wait for the Lord “more than those who watch for the morning” (v. 6); they wait for him with firm hope because they know that he will bring light, mercy, salvation. This waiting was born of the experience of the Chosen People, who realized that God taught them to look at the world in its truth and not to be overwhelmed by tribulation. I invite you to look to 2012 with this attitude of confident trust. It is true that the year now ending has been marked by a rising sense of frustration at the crisis looming over society, the world of labour and the economy, a crisis whose roots are primarily cultural and anthropological. It seems as if a shadow has fallen over our time, preventing us from clearly seeing the light of day.In this shadow, however, human hearts continue to wait for the dawn of which the Psalmist speaks. Because this expectation is particularly powerful and evident in young people, my thoughts turn to them and to the contribution which they can and must make to society. I would like therefore to devote this message for the XLV World Day of Peace to the theme of education: “Educating Young People in Justice and Peace”, in the conviction that the young, with their enthusiasm and idealism, can offer new hope to the world.Click => Read more… Peace walk in Rome 2012     

“Go to Nazareth and … contemplate…” Peter Bienvenu discovered there the incredible mystery of the love that energised his whole life. Jesus, Son of Mary and Joseph… at Nazareth we contemplate the Holy Family, seed of the Church.
FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY “Go to Nazareth and … contemplate…” Peter Bienvenu discovered there the incredible mystery of the love that energised his whole life. Jesus, Son of Mary and Joseph… at Nazareth we contemplate the Holy Family, seed of the Church. For our Founder, Nazareth was his ‘little home’, where he dreamed of gathering the scattered children of God … during his contemplation he discovered there a home for all – and that is why the Family he founded has no border and is open to all vocations, and, as far as it is possible, attentive to respond to all calls, because… “dispersed throughout the world, and appearing in one form or another on all the ways trod by us poor travellers,… you accompany them in the valley of tears and to bring them back or to keep them for Jesus Christ, you share with them, as far as you can, all the fatigue, the trials and the dangers of the journey.” (1) Each time when we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, we feel “Family” not only because our heart is stretched but also because it becomes more sensitive to the joys and hopes of humanity. (2)  Contemplate…  Jesus… we can also share the little bread and fish that we have in our life; to alleviate the hunger of many, hunger that is not only for bread… (3) We know the joy of a huge shared table, we can share closeness, love, and compassion to make the world a big family where numerous wheat fields flourish and violence ceases….   Mary… who keeps everything in her heart (4), who enlightens, restores  dignity, and enables the simple and humble of heart to find joy and peace. Mary, the countrywoman of Nazareth, the queen of the world, our strength, our courage, who challenges us by her capacity to remain, standing at the foot of the cross of her son… (5)    Joseph… discreet, trustworthy and always strong and prudent.  His silent and courageous mission is important in the human family and fills the world with peace. We say to you once again: Thank you, Holy Family, because you are our strength, the column on which the humanity relies.  You fill with hope a world that without you would lose all perspective of LIFE!     __________________________  (1) Pierre Bienvenu Noailles – 1851(2) Gaudium et Spes(3) Luc 4,4 (4) Luc 2, 51(5) Jn. 19,25     

According to Luke’s story, it is the Angel’s message to the shepherds that offers us the keys to open somehow the mystery of the Child’s birth in such strange circumstances, outside Bethlehem.
It all happened at night. But the glory of the Lord shone all around them in Bethlehem. This light did not shine upon the place where the child was born, but on the shepherds who were listening to the angel. The Child was hidden amidst darkness, in an unknown place. One had to search for Him and find Him in a manger.
IN A MANGER   According to Luke’s story, it is the Angel’s message to the shepherds that offers us the keys to open somehow the mystery of the Child’s birth in such strange circumstances, outside Bethlehem. It all happened at night. But the glory of the Lord shone all around them in Bethlehem. This light did not shine upon the place where the child was born, but on the shepherds who were listening to the angel. The Child was hidden amidst darkness, in an unknown place. One had to search for Him and find Him in a manger. These are the first words that we could hear: “Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people.” Something very great has taken place. We all have reasons to be very happy. This Child is not the child of Mary and Joseph. This Child is born to all of us. He is not only the Child of just these happy parents. He is born for all of us. Christians must not keep this feast just for us alone. Jesus belongs to all who have faith in Him as well as to those who have forgotten Him. He is God of those who trust in Him as well as of those who doubt about everything. Nobody is left alone with his fears. Nobody is abandoned in his solitude. There is always someone who remembers us. That’s what the messenger proclaimed: “A Saviour has been born to you; he is the Christ, the Lord.” He is not the son of Emperor Augustus, owner of the whole world, proclaimed as the saviour and bearer of peace, thanks to the power of his legions. The birth of such powerful men was never good news to the poor people who suffered all kinds of oppression. This Christ was born in a country subject to the Empire. They are not Roman citizens. Nobody in Rome awaited his birth. Still, he would be the Saviour they all needed. He will not be subject to any Caesar. He will not work for any empire. He will seek only the Kingdom of God and his justice. He will seek to make humanity more just for everyone. It will be in Him that this world of injustice will find God’s salvation. Where can we find this Child? How can we recognize Him? Listen to the messenger: “Here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” This child has been born homeless. His parents couldn’t find a place to welcome him. His mother gave birth without anyone’s help. She alone tried to protect Him with swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger. It was in this manger that God began his adventure among men. We will never find Him among the powerful, but among the poor and the needy. He is not found with the great and the famous, but among the small and the forgotten ones. Let us listen to the message: Let us go to Bethlehem; let us return to the roots of our Faith. Let us search for our God where he became flesh and one of us.   Jose Antonio Pagola Gospel Network BUENAS NOTICIAS                                 Spread the Good News of Christmas  Pass it on                                    December 25, 2011Birth of Christ, Luke 2, 1-14