CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM THE PARISH PRIEST

Dear Parishioners,

Had I written my Christmas message a month ago it would have begun in a different tone than this one. As you all know God who continually visits us in various ways, paid us a visit on 28th November 2019 and took back home His long-serving servant and our beloved oldest priest here, Rev. Fr. Peter Katongole Byangwa. God had the right to come for his priest and give him rest, but we still loved to have a priest of that age among us from whom we could seek advice on many topics…….. In addition to Fr. Peter, a number of our relatives and parishioners were called home by the Father during the course of the year. We can only say with Job: “...the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Then as a community, we must do what we can to move forward.

We are thus celebrating Christmas this year. Let us celebrate it in the true sense it deserves. There is so much secularism and commercialism surrounding this solemnity today, that we may forget what the solemnity is all about. We do well to momentarily pause and ask ourselves whether we are not being swept away in the whirlwind of the “world manufactured Christmas”, leaving behind the God made and true Christmas! I would not like to see anyone of us getting diverted from the center of Christmas - our Lord Jesus Christ. It pleases him when he sees us celebrating as we silently pray that the hope, healing and peace he promises to bring may come our way. He will then be gratified that his becoming one like us was not in vain.

None of us knows the number of times we have repeated the following words this year: “remember rejoice renew, starting afresh from Christ”. Indeed as we remember and rejoice in what the Lord has done for us, and as we try to renew ourselves for a holier tomorrow; there is no better time to start afresh from Christ than Christmas time. This is the time when we open our doors to the child who brings the fullness of life and the Good News of God’s love, and invite him in.  Isaiah says this of him: “upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince of Peace.” (Is 9:5). So as he enters with those attributes, can those who receive him fail to have a fresh beginning?

This Christmas, I pray that as a community of Naggulu parish, in everything we do, we start afresh from the child born to us. There are many tasks ahead of us, for example; putting into effect the “Nob View Hotel Brainstorming Conference” resolutions, strengthening our Christian Communities’ leadership, becoming more committed to giving back to God (financially, contributing ideas, offering our talents etc…) by every member of the community, working towards improving everybody’s “Sacramental life” and many other tasks. With our Saviour safely in, we can really start afresh.

As we start afresh, let us pray for one another, especially for those this day will never be the same again because of what has happened to them this year. In our wounded world we need to know that even in these darkest hours, a very bright star will lead us to the heart of Christ who will heal our brokenness, remove all evil from us and fill us with the peace and strength we need to carry on and to reclaim the fullness of life he brings to each one of us and our community as a whole.

Many thanks for being there to strengthen me as I try to live a normal life in spite of my health problems. Your material support, thoughts and prayers have gone a long way to make my quality of life be what it is. Let us go before the child born to us and pray for one another. I wish you all a very blessed, peaceful and joyful Christmas.

Fr. Godfrey Kyeyune.

Tue 24, Dec 2019 14:12 pm