Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lima (Agenzia Fides) - Christmas is a new opportunity to meditate and enjoy God’s love for us revealed in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, Archbishop Héctor Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte of Trujillo, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Peru wrote in a special Christmas Message in which he expressed the wish that in Peru today in the grip of "a spiral of violence, discouragement, insecurity, lack of brotherly love, ", the presence of the Christ Child "may restore hope and teach people that real peace comes from the heart of God and enters the hearts of those willing to accept it".
The Archbishop recalled the God’s peace “cannot be separated from justice and that there can be no lasting peace as long as there is inequality among people, those who have access to justice, those who do not, those who have access to opportunities, those who do not”. Peace “is an imperative, which compels every person of good will to work to build a society of justice and brotherhood” he said.
The Archbishop affirmed that Christmas reveals the depth of God’s love for man and that therefore a special sign of Christmas is “giving expecting nothing in return”. “The virtue of detachment demands concrete actions - the message continues -, balsam for the most needy, effective help for neighbour, a channel of love and solidarity". The Archbishop says Christmas is “ability to forgive and be forgiven, to be reconciled”. He concludes “may the Christ Child bring us perfect joy, fruit of inward peace and fraternal love and may the New Year bring great hope for a better Peru". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 21/12/2006; righe 22, parole 312)
