All this took place to fulfil what has been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, ‘which means God is with us’” (Matthew 1:22-23).
Dear friends in Christ, I extend to all of you my heartfelt and prayerful best wishes during this season of grace as we celebrate the birthday of the Lord. Our faith shall hold fast to the joy this day in its seeming lowliness brings in such a magnificent way, a joy that may never be revealed to hearts that are wicked and haughty because it was God’s choice to hide these things from them and revealed to the child-like (cf. Matt 11:25). I, therefore, invite us to savour the joy of this day with elated exuberance and festivity fitting for an only-begotten son of the Most High.Celebrating the birth of Jesus renews our hope in the power of God over sin and evil. And so, as we gather in the warmth of family, friends and merry cheers, I enjoin us to reflect on the deep and thoughtful significance of the message, Emmanuel, God is with us, keeping in mind the profound love that brought hope to the world in the form of a humble child, born in a manger. Being a time for reflection and a time for giving thanks, Christmas affords us the opportunity for reflection, renewal, deepened connection with our faith and the celebration of God’s love for humanity, a truth confirmed in the Gospels through the story of the incarnation and expressed profoundly whenever we contemplate its mystery both at Christmas and during the Easter vigil. The birthday of Christ is always celebrated at the end of the year. A lot has happened during the course of this year. Before anything else, that we are alive, we need to count our blessings and thank God for bestowing them upon us. However, there is no gainsaying that this year too and as we have witnessed in the previous years, at Christmas, a sizeable percentage of Christians are living in countries at war, with missiles, war jets and deadly drones flying overhead. Humanity is being subjected to untold hardship due to poor and absurd economic policies that lack human sympathy. Still at this Christmas, thousands are suffering because of their faith. We cannot pretend that the reality of life in our world and especially our country Nigeria is not challenging our courage and testing our trust in the power of God to overcome all evil especially when we search for answers to the challenges of poverty, insecurity, poor medical care system and corruption as a result of poor leadership, political and judicial rascality. Or even when we look confused and despondent over the tragic loss of a loved one. But the question is: were Mary and Joseph immune to the test of faith as faithful and devoted servants of God? Never! This is why Christmas has become a perennial reminder for us of the enduring message of hope, courage and trust in God’s graciousness. The New Testament passage above, which comes from the Gospel according to Matthew is a source of inspiration and encouragement to us. The name Emmanuel, God is with us constantly highlights the intimate and personal nature of God’s presence in the world. This captures the essence of Christmas. It is nothing short of a reminder to us that God is not distant but intimately involved in our human experience. Our hope therefore is built and supported in the belief that through Jesus, lasting peace and reconciliation are possible. Christmas becomes even more meaningful when we recognize that God is not distant or unreachable. This is why even in the midst of suffering, pain and loss, we should rejoice because even if things do not turn out our way, God is worth trusting (cf. Habakkuk 3:1-19). All we need is to accept the reality of God’s promise by sticking to our guns and learn to say “Lord I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:2).We have witnessed a declaration in our Church that will long be remembered for the controversy it caused. I understand how troubled we are as Catholics as a result of the declaration issued on the pastoral meaning of Blessing, Fiducia Supplicans, on 18th December 2023 by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and giving backing by the Holy Father Pope Francis. We are even more troubled because of the hype the media gave the Declaration. I invite us to be calm but vigilant (cf. 1 Peter 5:8) and not to be afraid (cf. Matt 10:28, 14:27 and Mk 5:36). However, we are to note very clearly that “the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria assures the entire People of God that the teaching of the Catholic Church on marriage remains the same. There is, therefore, no possibility in the Church for blessing same-sex unions and activities. That would go against God’s law, the teachings of the church, the laws of our nation and the cultural sensibilities of our people.” On all that has happened both within and outside the Church, therefore, I invite us to focus our minds on Emmanuel, God is with us. God is present in our lives, walking with us through every joy and sorrow, offering comfort, guidance, and boundless love. We are to “put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand… take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:13-16). Let us therefore draw strength from the example of Mary and Joseph who found courage in the face of uncertainty and placed their trust in God’s plan. We are to make their courage and trust in God’s plan continue to echo in our hearts amid global conflict, terror, tension and poor government policies. Our hope should remain anchored in the unchanging character of God who is in control even when the world seems chaotic. God Himself tells us to be still and know that He is God and that He will be exalted among the nations (Psalm 46:10). He assures us that the darkness we experience will be no more because there will be no gloom for those who are in anguish and that we who live in the land of the shadow of death on us light shall shine (cf. Isaiah 9:1-2). Christmas celebrates the coming of Jesus as Emmanuel – God is with us by bringing light in the darkness of our troubled world and hope to the lost. As liberated and enlightened children of God, we are called to not allow ourselves to forget the plight of those seeking a better life for themselves and their families, bearing in mind that God’s exaltation depends on our compassion and love. The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness, providing hope and guidance to a world that needs enlightenment (cf. John 1:4-5). We are therefore called to hope in the renewal of creation. This hope must extend beyond the present circumstances because our faith teaches that one day, God will make all things new and that there will be an end to suffering, war, and injustice (cf. Rev. 21:4). Let us, therefore, take time to embrace the courage that comes from our faith during this season knowing that Christian hope is expressed through acts of compassion, kindness, and love. The story of the birth of Christ in the manger, in Bethlehem teaches that even in the lowliest of circumstances, God’s plan unfolds. Relying on the assurance of Emmanuel, God is with us, and as we go about our engagements during this Holy season, I pray that we may find the courage to face challenges, the strength to overcome obstacles and the strength to walk in faith. In moments of uncertainty, may our trust in God’s plan be our guiding star, leading us to places of peace, purpose, and fulfilment. Wishing you all Merry Christmas and a New Year brightened by the light of courage and the peace that comes from trusting in God’s boundless love. May the message of Emmanuel fill our hearts with the warmth of faith, the courage to face the unknown, and the awareness of God’s ever-abiding presence throughout the coming year, EMMANUEL, GOD IS WITH US!!!!
Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Dami Mamza
Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Yola
