CHRISTMAS MESSAGE: Bishop of the Diocese of Roseau

Bishop of Roseau Gabriel Malzaire

What will we bring to the Christ-Child?

Christmas is often seen as a time for “giving” and “receiving”, resulting in the notion of gift-exchange, as we know it. However, in the minds of many, the aspect of “receiving” takes greater prominence. The reason for this, it seems, is that our collective psyche has been formed that way. From very early, the child learns to expect gifts at Christmas time. Only later in life does the dimension of “giving” comes into play. It seems quite easy to rationalize that reasoning since children, by virtue of their limited capabilities, are easily understood to be at the receiving end of the gift-giving.

However, it is hoped that as one matures in Christian/human consciousness, imbibing the true purpose of the nativity of Christ, we will be able to reflect in our liturgy and social interactions, a more wholesome understanding of the reason for His coming into the world. The story of Christmas, as we know, has to do with the fact that God in his love and mercy, sent his Son, Jesus, as an absolutely free gift to make salvation possible for humanity. In his letter to the Romans, Paul affirms that truth when he says: “but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners” (Rom 5:8). The absolute giftedness of God is always meant to be a model for us humans. Therefore, Christmas is meant to the model par excellence, of the human disposition towards life.

It is well to know that, historically, the gift-giving associated with Christmas, has its origin in the visit of the Magi, i.e. the three wise men from the East who visited Jesus bringing Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. That gesture was a response to the understanding that this Epiphany was the revelation of God’s utter giftedness to the world in the person of the Christ-Child.

In the light of all that God has done for us, the question which inevitably presents itself to every Christian, to every person of good will, is: what will we bring to the Christ-Child? It is another way of asking, what will we contribute to the advancement of humanity, to nation building, to the growth of families and homes, and, consequently, to our personal advancement. I believe that adopting a Christo-centric or Christmas-centered/ Christ-centered disposition can be the answer to the many challenges and problems which plague today.

Christmas illustrates the manner which God chose to cut human selfishness, which is so prevalent in the modern culture. It demonstrates what is necessary for integral human advancement in the here and now. And, I dare say, any lack thereof represents the fact that we have not sufficiently adopted the Christmas disposition. I often question why our Church and society are so wanting of committed volunteers and workers, of ministers and financial resources, etc., when her membership is so gifted with time, talent and treasure. It was the saintly man Mahatma Gandhi who said: “There is sufficient food in the world to satisfy human need, but there is not enough to satisfy human greed”; hence the reality of rampant poverty and starvation in the world.

The entire ministry of Jesus was a prolonged teaching on the theology of Christmas—the theology of giving. To the Greeks who wanted to see him, Jesus said: “I tell you, most solemnly, unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies it yields a rich harvest” (Jn 12:23-24). Giving of self always has a multiplying effect. This is further emphasized in Luke 6:38 where Jesus says: “Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.”

I am convinced that a Christmas attitude towards life is the answer to all the challenges we encounter in both Church and society. Christmas is vocation, Christmas is mission, Christmas is salvation. At Christmas, God has given completely in order to teach us how to give.

At this time of year, therefore, let us thank God for all he has given us, including those among us who serve our Church and country, to engender moral, spiritual and social development: our civil and religious leaders, our civil servants and private sector workers, farmers and fisher folk, educators and all others.

May the Christ-Child find a ready home in each of our hearts as we seek the appropriate response to his question: What will you bring to the Christ-Child?

Merry Christmas to you and your family

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18 Comments

  1. Yes I
    December 28, 2016

    It is just laughable that most of the viewers of this page missed the meaning vonveyed by the bishop’s message. The Catholic church has its responsibilities in the world so do each and every one of us. As Ghandi said there is enough food in the world to feed every person existing on God’s earth. Each and everyone of us has to face God at the end of time. Read carefully the message and absorb the message. Stop pointing fingers at churches and examine your self. What have you done for Christ? Feed your brother, lend a hand, assist and old person, say a few kind words to the least of Jesus’ brother? Think very hard and examine your conscience. After all everyone of us has to stand before God in the end and give an account for our self. Are you going to tell God the Catholic Church didn’t do this and this person didn’t do that? Take a good look at your self and make that change. (according to the late Michael Jackson)

    • Tjebe fort
      December 28, 2016

      Sorry bro. but i did not know Jesus have a brother. I always thought he was an only child. You telling us that Mary had another child again? Forgive my ignorance, I looked very hard for the meaning of the bishop’s message but what i got was some kind of resentment that his church does not receive enough assistance. if I’m wrong I’m wrong but I did not really find anything uplifting in there to give me much hope.

      • Christ is my Master
        December 28, 2016

        Yes Tjebe fort. Jesus had brothers and sisters. The Bible says in Mark 6:3 “Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him. There is so much we don’t know about God’s word. Keep seeking God’s Holy Spirit and He will lead you into all truth.

        John 16:13 (KJV) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

  2. Paganism
    December 27, 2016

    Why Mr. Bishop do you have to dress like a woman with this stupid hat on your head? Do you think we don’t know what this is all about? Jesus Christ was not born in December, you know that, whereas December 25th is a pagan day of worship. In pre-Christian pagan belief, December 25 marked what was known as the Winter Solstice. Sol is the ancient Latin word for ‘Sun’, and Stice literally means ‘standing still’. It was celebrated by sun-worshippers as the day signaling the middle of winter, the shortest day of the solar calendar. This day was celebrated in different ways by different people all over the world.
    For the pre-Christian Romans, December 25 marked their most important holiday, Saturnalia. This was later renamed to ‘Sol Invicti’, which means ‘the unconquerable sun’, in honor of the Syrian sun-god Apollo.

    Apollo is Satan!!!

    Stop following the devil, redeem your soul, get a job and for heaven’s sake, dress like a man.

    • Rev. John Prendergast-Bowles, Franciscan (retired)
      December 28, 2016

      Admin- thank you for publishing this post.

    • Christ is my Master
      December 28, 2016

      Preach the truth! Further, Christ is not a child and has not been a child for two thousand years. Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, yet the Catholic Church continues to portray him as a helpless babe being held by the Pope. Nonsense. Time to wake up people – Jesus is at the door.

    • Christ is my Master
      December 28, 2016

      Even the word CHRIST MAS is offensive. Mass is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is commonly called in the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church teaches that the substance, or essence, of the Eucharistic offering (either bread alone, or bread and wine) is changed into both the body and blood of Christ. That means that every time the Catholic Church offers communion, they have to kill Christ again to offer his “literal body and blood”. So every time we say Merry Christmas, we are in fact saying, Merry murder of Christ. Spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12

  3. truththe
    December 27, 2016

    What will I bring to the Christ Child ? I will bring my daily journey, my whole being. Like the prodigal son he want all of us to come to him. He died for our sins and to set us free. Let us appreciate his coming and get ready for the second coming.

  4. %
    December 27, 2016

    Stuppesssssssssss…Why is he so dumb about all the injustices occurring on island?

  5. ye yep
    December 27, 2016

    Been a Catholic from small but I just don’t trust this guy.

    • Me
      December 27, 2016

      Amen, he is weak and ineffective.

  6. Anonymous
    December 27, 2016

    Right there opposite your cathedral and bishop’s palace it have people living in squalor and deprivation. Are you blind and deaf? What is your church doing about thgat? merry Christmas to you bishop.

  7. It is amazing how the truth offends!

    I do not see why this man writes nonsense on you site, which is nothing more than false religious teachings, and ideology, which are intended to keep people in poverty, and when I challenge his nonsense you censor my comments.

    This guy is a man like anyone else, just a man his rhetoric about Christmas is false. How can he ask people what will they bring to the “Christ-Child?”

    Jesus Christ is not a child, he if God, the one who created heaven and earth! Religious garbage, is just Garbage, God has nothing to do with Christmas. That is paganism’s, a pagan holiday, but the use nonsocial rhetoric like that to extract money form people. DNO the bitter, and the sweet goes together.

    We are in an age where the truth about God, must be made known to the poor. That sort of nonsense of bring things to Christ-Child is nothing than psychologically soliciting for money from people. You do not have to print this: But denying the truth to be know…

  8. Titiwi
    December 26, 2016

    Do I hear a contradiction in the Bishop’s message? I hear a plea for giving, that does not exclude assistance for his church. I shall talk plainly, As long as bishops and other church dignitaries still have funds for finery and good dining the bishop’s inability to finish the re-roofing of his church is far less important to me than the plight of our poor and downtrodden, the jobless hungry and those without hope. |I shall not contribute towards the restoration of the cathedral till these problems are taken care of first. God does not dwell under magnificent roofs only but first and foremost among the dispossessed. That is the true message of Christmas.

  9. dee
    December 25, 2016

    ”What will you bring to the Christ Child”?
    ”God has given completely in order to teach us how to give ”
    ”When the churches members is so gifted with time talent and treasure”
    Churches members ein ? NOT THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH ITSELF
    All who can should visit Rome , visit the cave with gold plastered ceiling
    See all the Gold that is the property of the Catholic Church and spare a thought for all the poor relatives of those who enriched the Catholic Church .

  10. viewsexpressed
    December 25, 2016

    Well said Bishop, however I would have loved to hear about the continued suffering of our people and families in Dominica, through child abuse coming from high levels and abused of their power, the political climate executed with venom and inflicted upon the Gods people for political gains, through handouts and at those who defer from the governments actions and speak out loudly for decent government. Pope Francis openly in his address made reference to Syria, turkey and other countries at war with people who die innocently due to their political corruption. Dominica`s government leadership I questionable as we scholarlisticly heard the ethical presentation by a son of the soil, Dr Francis Severin. You must have followed. God Bless you and please be guided .

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