“The angel said: ‘I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people’.” (Luke 2:10)
Dear Monsignor, Father, Deacon, Brothers and Sisters,
The celebration of the Birth of Our Lord is a time of great joy and spiritual grace. It is a time of prayer and reflection on the goodness and the mercy of the Lord.
The celebration of the Birth of Our Lord is a time of great joy and spiritual grace. It is a time of prayer and reflection on the goodness and the mercy of the Lord.
In his Hymn on the Nativity (No. 11), St. Ephrem proclaims: “O holy One. In Your visible form I see Adam, and in Your hidden form I see Your Father, who is joined with You.” This is truly the essence behind the Feast: God has become Man in Jesus Christ. The Lord of Heaven and Earth has entered into His Creation as a supreme act of love to redeem us, to make us children of the Most High. It is out of this understanding of God’s great love, that we find the true joy of Christmas and the divine peace that covers the whole world.
As we rejoice on Christmas, let us think of others who are going through difficult circumstances either here or abroad. We should also remember our brothers and sisters living in parts of the world who do not share in that peace and suffering persecution and oppression especially in the Middle East. These Christians are native to their ancient lands which only makes the tragedy more heartbreaking. Pray for them and commit yourselves to work to bring about justice on their behalf. Let us work to alleviate the burdens of the poor, the sick, the persecuted and the sorrowful who live near and far. Foremost we must help to raise the awareness of our fellow citizens to better understand their plight so that we become a true family rejoicing for the success of each other, weeping over the sorrows of others, and supporting each other in times of need.
I extend my sincere best wishes to you and to your loved ones for a joyful and blessed Season of Christmas. May the Divine Child, through the intercession of Our Lady of Lebanon, shower all His graces upon all of you.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
+A. Elias Zaidan
Bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles