Jaffna Bishop urges all to "turn aside from hatred and enmity"

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 December 2006, 19:50 GMT]
In a Christmas message wishing "all the clergy, faithful, and all men and women of Good–will of Sri Lanka, a joyous Christmas and Peace in the New Year," the Bishop of Jaffna, Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Savundaranayagam, said: "Jesus Christ came into the world to bring Peace and Brotherhood and Sisterhood. The Angels chorused “Glory to God in the highest and Peace to men of good will," But men continue to wage war and make division and dissension in the society and in the world.

Full text of the message follows:

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM THE BISHOP OF JAFFNA

Amidst war and turmoil, death and destruction, hunger and starvation all around us, we are once again on the season of Christmas. The shops are decorated and replenished to over- flow with all the goodies; the familiar picture of Santa exhibited at the store-fronts brings warm sentiments of happiness to the young and old.

The center of all these celebration is the recalling of the Birth of Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Saviour of the World. God became Man so that man might become like God. Jesus Christ came into the world to bring Peace and Brotherhood and Sisterhood. The Angels chorused “Glory to God in the highest and Peace to men of good will”.

But men continue to wage war and make division and dissension in the society and in the world.

Christmas is once again a strong invitation by the Babe of Bethlehem to turn aside from hatred and enmity and embrace all as brothers and sisters so that the world can become a better place to live. Christmas is a feast for the families, reminding us that God was born as a child in a family wanted he wanted to save us. Thus he glorified the family life since it is the basic cell of every society and civilization.

I take this occasion to wish all the clergy, faithful, and all men and women of Good – will of Sri Lanka, a joyous Christmas and Peace in the New Year.

Rt.Rev.Dr.Thomas Savundaranayagam
Roman Catholic Bishop of Jaffna
21-12-06