We are truly grateful for all that God has accomplished through us and within us over these years.

As we celebrate the Nativity of the Lord, we reaffirm our faith in the Incarnation of the Divine Word and share in the joy of all who await God’s salvation. Those who dwelt in darkness have walked in the light (Isaiah 9:1).

While we celebrate the coming of the Lord, we also observe the reality around us and realize that the light that came into the world reveals even more clearly the darkness that persists and seeks to prevail (John 1:5). We continue to witness wars, such as those in Ukraine and South Sudan, to name only a few places where our confreres and the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit are present. Our planet cries out, and nature rebels as a consequence of actions driven by consumerism or political decisions that fail to take into account the depletion of natural resources and the tragic effects these choices have on humanity.

All who awaited redemption rejoiced at the coming of the Savior (Luke 2:10–11). Redemption represents the deliverance of humanity and of all creation. We too rejoice as we await the fullness of redemption in our own time, with the renewal of all things (Revelation 21:5). For this to happen, our waiting must be active, committed, and creative.

To wait, to engage, and to re-create are actions that lead us toward the future, and Christmas leads us to embrace this very attitude. As we contemplate Child Jesus in the manger, let us look toward the future he prepares for us and let us make a gesture of commitment to God Himself and to God’s project of new life for humanity and transformation of all creation.

My brother, my sister, I wish each and every one of you a Happy and Holy Christmas.

Fr. Anselmo R. Ribeiro, SVD
Superior General