Christmas greetings from the Apostolic Nuncio

On the occasion of the Christmas festivities, H.E. Mgr. Martin Nugent, Apostolic Nuncio, sent a message of greetings to all the Catholic faithful of Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.

Here is the text of the message:

A SAVIOUR HAS BEEN BORN FOR HUMANITY

"Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord" (Lk.2:11).

This is the news of great joy that we are called to share with all humanity. This is what Christmas is all about, the birth of Christ, our Saviour and Lord.

The world today is afflicted with so many problems and difficulties. Humanity seems to be overwhelmed and shaken by the Covid19 pandemic; there is so much violence, hatred, rejection, greed and lack of respect for the dignity of the human person. There is so much intolerance, bigotry and extremism which are fuelled by fake news and conspiracy theories. In the midst of this confusion, many ask the question: Who can save us? Will there be a Saviour to help us overcome this burden?

Today, our Lord is born in our midst. He is born in Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar! He knows our pains and sorrows. He knows our sicknesses and our struggles. He knows our hopes and aspirations. He has come to bring us peace by reconciling humanity with God and with each other. He has come to save us! He is our Saviour. Let us all rejoice! Let us throw away all our anxieties and put our hope in Him!

He has come not just to save us but make us also saviours to our brothers and sisters. When we bring the message of joy and peace to them not just by our words but by our lives, we can make a positive impact on all our brethren who are suffering. For we bring them hope and peace. But we can only do this if we ourselves are people of joy and peace, if we live a life of goodwill and peace brought by the Infant Jesus in a manger.

Ever since I arrived in Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, I have seen how everyone here yearns for peace and prosperity, while recognizing the need for all the components of society to work together in promoting new ways of living in a more equitable and sustainable manner. We must pursue generosity and fairness in the way that we live and how we use money, and not for selfish gain.

Recently, Pope Francis has called for a culture of care that involves a common, supportive and inclusive commitment to protecting the dignity and good of all. Each one of us has a serious responsibility to promote initiatives that bring about healing and renewed encounter as we make our way out of this health crisis and into the post pandemic period.

All people, but especially people of faith, have a vocation to be a beacon of light and hope to others in the region and in other parts of the world who are experiencing poverty, extremism, hatred wars and social exclusion.

When we come together as brothers and sisters, united in our faith in God the Father of us all, we are strengthened to face the challenges of the day.

So, this Christmas is a celebration to inspire us to be like Christ, our Saviour who has come to all of us. Let us all share the joy and hope of Christ in us by reaching out to each other during this period of Christmas. Let us help especially those who live in darkness, still trying to find hope in their hearts. They have not yet seen the Saviour. Let us help them to find Jesus during this joyful season so that they know that Christ is truly our Lord and Saviour, the Prince of Peace, who has come to live among us now and always!