Behold I bring you good news of great joy for all the people (Lk 2:10)
Holy Family…make our family like Thine!!
Beloved Family in Christ, our hearts are filled with gratitude to God for the privilege of another Christmas. In the words of Ann Voskamy, So God throws open the door of this world and enters as a baby. As the most vulnerable imaginable. Because He wants unimaginable intimacy with you…what God ever came so tender we would touch? So fragile that we could break Him? So vulnerable that his bare beating heart could be hurt? Only the One who loves you to death.
As a family, we have the opportunity of celebrating another Holy Family feast day, thanking God for His love for us. We have a special celebration this year as we join our Sisters, Rev Sr. Francisca Nwonwu, DSP and Rev Sr. Margaret Opara, HVM as they thank God for the precious gift of Final Religious Profession. May the Lord bless them in their service and commitment to His love and may the Lord receive our thanks and bless all our families this Christmas season.
As a family, we look on the passing year 2020 with all its ups and down -the complete obliteration of Bethlehem Girls College by the Gas explosion, the COVID-19 pandemic and the new normal effect on every sphere of our lives, the ENDSARS protests and its aftermath, the worsening security and economic situation in our country and all our problems. In all these, the joy of Christmas cannot be overshadowed. The miracle of God becoming a human being is too awesome an event to be overshadowed by mundane concerns. And man will live forevermore, because of Christmas day!
As a family, we are grateful to God for the privilege of recommencing our Parish Church Building Project, after a long wait. We pray that the glory of the latter Temple shall be greater than the former, and it shall please the Lord to give us the grace to complete the good work He has begun.
As families, let us not be overwhelmed by the secular commercialization of Christmas. Let us return to the Lord in prayer, reading His Sacred Word, going for confession and prepare spiritually for Christ’s coming into our hearts. By our actions as families, let us observe this Christmas by good works, going to the poor and less privileged around us, help our neighbours and do practical acts of love, spreading the joy of Christ around us.
I want to express my unalloyed gratitude to all our collaborators, the Rev. Sisters, the Parish Staff, the members of the Councils and all our beloved parishioners for all their love and encouragement in 2020. Your presence and unflinching support really made the difference in all the challenging circumstances.
For all those travelling, may the angels lead you safely and bring you back to us in peace. For us here, make sure you participate actively in our joyful traditional liturgy of Christmas and New Year. We shall also enter the New Year with our 21-Day Foundational Prayer Program with the awesome theme: IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? Don’t miss it!
So from Frs Mark, Ebuka and I, we wanna wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of our hearts!!!
Rev Fr Melvis Mayaki
