Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Caracas (Agenzia Fides) - “No Christmas in Venezuela and in the world, if we do not make a commitment to Life,” is the theme of a reflection that the Superior of the Consolata Missionaries in Venezuela, Father Lisandro Rivas, sent to Fides, from which we offer a few excerpts. "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, those who walked in darkness were flooded by the light (cf. Isaiah 9:1). This nation is now Venezuela, the world today, which goes on without stopping, pushed and trampled by ideology, materialism, consumerism, capitalism, hedonism, moral and ethical relativism, etc.
In the depths of the human being, a great void has remained, where death, the violation of human rights, the destruction of the universe, impunity, injustice, falsehood, violence, intolerance, the kidnappings, robbery and murder, are gaining more power minute after minute. It seems that evil wins out over good, death over life, the prince of darkness over the God of Life. But all these forces of evil become weak and are eliminated to the extent that we allow the God of Light, the God of Venezuela and the world, to dwell among us, to make his dwelling place in the hearts of all Venezuelans, in every home, in society, and in the world ... because our God came to give us life, and life in abundance (cf. Jn. 10.10).
Christmas is meant to renew the covenant with God who gives life, and find ourself through service to the other, it means being sympathetic with the poor and marginalized of our society, opening the doors of our hearts, our homes, our communities, and at the same time, rejecting darkness and death and making room for the sun, which is Jesus Christ who comes from above, to guide our steps and walk every day along the path of justice and peace.” (CE) (Agenzia Fides 22/12/2009)
