AMERICA/COSTA RICA - The Bishops' Advent Message: “Reflecting on the Gift of Life”

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COSTA RICA

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San José (Agenzia Fides) - In its Advent message, the Episcopal Conference of Costa Rica invites "to reflect on the gift of life". "While some sections of society despise this gift and sacred right, we live in a time of grace that allows us to appreciate the most important gift we have ever been given: life" and refer to "a time of preparation to the feast of Christmas, which makes known to mankind the coming of the Son of God".
In their message, the bishops recall the announcement made by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, who "fills us with hope" because "the birth announced is that of our Redeemer". He comes "to redeem us, to give us life "And life in abundance". Aware of the pain, sin, tensions, limitations and difficulties of this life, of uncertainty and even death, "Advent is an invitation to wait for Jesus", whose message to people is "that the kingdom of God is possible for everyone".
The Bishops recall that the Church of Costa Rica invites to the "Great National Mission"
(see Fides, 22/4/2022), and in this perspective they underline that "Advent is a time to reflect on the course and destiny that we are forging in our increasingly materialistic society, often only in search of economic results and to distort the true values that uphold the dignity of the human person".
In the final part of the message, the bishops cite the words of Pope Francis to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See on January 11, 2016, when he spoke of the "culture of throwing away", the hunger and hardship of millions of migrants, and emphasize that that "Advent is God's encounter with man and must therefore lead us to a culture of welcoming life, from conception to natural death". They therefore ask us to live this time "to seek new things in our life, to welcome him who offers us true and eternal life".
The accents and impulses formulated by the Bishops' Conference in their Advent message on the value of life reflect the debate that has been going on in Costa Rica for some time on various aspects of this topic. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 2/12/2022)