A Christmas Message Fr Austin

All the darkness in our world cannot extinguish a single candle!

Peace on earth and goodwill to all who work quietly and patiently each day, in families and in society, to build a more humane and just world, sustained by the conviction that only with peace is there the possibility of a more prosperous future for all. ‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given’: he is the ‘prince of peace.’ Let us help others welcome him with each other!

When we turn on the lights of the Christmas tree, we wish for the light of Christ to be in us - for others. A Christmas without light is not Christmas. Let there be light in the soul, in the heart; let there be forgiveness, no hostility or darkness. … Let there be the beautiful light of Jesus. This is my wish for you.

It's sad to call myself a Christmas person and not see a refugee or someone seeking help, someone who is hungry or thirsty, someone who is in need of my help... the way God came to us – by giving us someone to love.

Faith makes us see God present in all those situations where we think God is absent... God is present in the unwelcomed visitor, often unrecognizable, who walks through our cities and our neighbourhoods, who travels on our buses and knocks on our doors.

Wherever you find love, join-in and enjoy; wherever you find love broken, help repair it; wherever you don’t find love - bring it with you.