CHRISTMAS MESSAGE: "God is with us," we joyfully proclaim (12/23/01)

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

"God is with us," we joyfully proclaim

To Our Very Reverend Clergy, the Venerable Monastic Orders, Seminarians and Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

God is with us!

Ukrainian Catholics throughout the world celebrate a special prayer service following the traditional Christmas Eve supper of 12 meatless dishes in which we joyfully and repeatedly proclaim that "God is with us! We celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and reaffirm God's presence amidst us!"

God is with us! God's presence was gloriously revealed to us in the visit of the holy father, Pope John Paul II, to Ukraine; 1.5 million people in Ukraine and many thousands throughout the world via television, gathered to pray the divine liturgy. Hope and renewal of faith was felt by Ukrainian Catholics throughout the world. The importance and beauty of our Ukrainian Catholic Church and its liturgical traditions was reaffirmed for us all, calling us to renew our love and commitment in our faith communities.

God is with us! The holy father's beatification of three servants of God and solemn proclamation of 25 martyrs of the faith revealed another divine manifestation of our people. The universal Catholic Church raised up these new martyrs and blessed servants of God as examples of holiness for us to emulate in our own daily lives. We are invited to come to know more about them so that their lives might inspire us to greater virtue.

God is with us! God's divine presence was dramatically and lovingly revealed in the heartfelt and charitable response of Americans to the victims of the September 11 acts of terrorism. Acts of heroism, compassionate care and concern, and a tremendous outpouring of generosity revealed God's presence in our hearts and in our genuine and active care for one another. We turned to God in prayer in our churches and with people of different faiths in ecumenical services. The words, "In God We Trust" took on even greater meaning for all of us. We looked for God's presence amidst us.

God's divine presence amidst us has been generously revealed to us during this past year in significant ways. God's presence amidst us is also especially revealed to us in so many ordinary events of daily life. God uses both extraordinary and the ordinary events of life to reveal His presence amidst us. Yet, we can easily miss realizing His presence amidst us by being preoccupied, or unaware of the importance of the event in God's plan.

The Christmas story of Jesus' birth in the manger is prophetic for us today. Jesus was born in a stable because there was no room for Him in the inn. Jesus began His life on earth by being crowded out. Much of ourselves could be reflected in that inn. Are not our lives sometimes so busy and preoccupied with so many things, albeit good, that Jesus Christ gets crowded out? There is just so much room in any person's life. Sometimes our busy-ness and much good activity crowds out time for Jesus Himself.

Being preoccupied with life's demands, we are less able to discern the importance of significant events in our lives. The innkeeper was so busy with accommodating the crowd that he could not be aware of the significance of the occasion. That innkeeper was unaware and, sometimes, so are we. The great moments of life do not come with trumpets blaring. It is in the commonplace events of life that God often speaks to us in our hearts and minds. Almost every day we leave Jesus Christ out by forgetting how much He identified with the lowly things in life. Recall Jesus' own words: "Inasmuch as you did it not for one of my brothers, you did it not for Me." (Mt. 25:45)

God is with us! Our realization of God's presence amidst us requires some rearrangement of our lives. Our Joyful celebration of Jesus' birth, God among us, invites us to make more room for Jesus Christ in our daily lives. God's special presence in our own Ukrainian Catholic Church challenges us to greater appreciation of our Church and to enhanced involvement in its life of prayer, ministry and service to one another. Our response to the victims of the tragic acts of terrorism reveals the depth of our love and compassion for those in distress, and our call to be Christ-like in response to people in need. We cannot allow our preoccupation with life's demands and our unawareness of the significance of life's events to dull our ability to realize God's presence amidst us in such extraordinary, as well as ordinary, events of life.

As you gather to proclaim the birth of Jesus by singing our beautiful traditional carols, realize God's loving presence amidst you and your loved ones. Reaffirm your love for God and your desire to devote more room in your daily life to celebrate His divine presence amidst you. And, avow to celebrate your faith regularly and faithfully in God's holy Church, your parish family community.

On this feast of Christ's birth, your bishops of the Metropolitan Province of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States of America humbly confer our apostolic blessings upon all the clergy, religious, seminarians and faithful. You have a special place in our hearts and in our prayers.

Christ is born!

Glorify Him!

Ý Stefan
Metropolitan-Archbishop

Ý Basil
Eparch of Stamford

Ý Michael
Apostolic Administrator of St. Nicholas Eparchy

Ý Robert
Eparch of St. Josaphat Eparchy

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