Manila archbishop: Christmas is time for being grateful — and sharing it

Cardinal Jose Advincula, archbishop of Manila. PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRICK DOMINICK ROMERO

By CBCP News

December 24, 2023

Manila, Philippines

Christmas is a time to reflect on God’s love for us and share these blessings to others, especially those in need, the archbishop of Manila said.

Cardinal Jose Advincula said that Christmas is a time to be grateful, encouraging the faithful to “be more concrete and specific in our words of gratitude and acts of charity”.

“Like Mary in the Magnificat, let us recount the great things God has done for us and share them with others,” Advincula said in Christmas message.

“Like St. Joseph, let our actions speak more than our words. Visit the sick, the elderly, and those deprived of liberty; be present to those who are grieving; console the broken-hearted; pray for peace,” he said.

The cardinal said that the best gifts “are not just in boxes” and could be as simple as long as they are “meaningful, given with love and affection, the fruit of hard work and effort”.

“Christmas is not about abstract ideas or lofty ambitions. It is about God in the flesh, in the concrete, in the simple and small, in the humble and pure,” Advincula added.

“Let us live this reality of God’s closeness and tenderness every day. May your hearts and homes be a manger of warmth, acceptance, and joy,” he also said.

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