A shoot will sprout from its roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him
[Isaiah 11,1]
Dear Sisters, dear Friends,
The encounter of a person who loves us and whom we love, fills the heart with deep joy; I hope that this will be the inner spirit of each one at this time of Christmas.
I wish to reach you in every part of the world and arrive at every community to wish you all a Holy Christmas and a Happy Year 2020.
The wishes, that we exchange in the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord, could be considered a formality, but this is not my intention; these wishes come from the desire to share the great gift of God to all humanity and to each one of us.
A baby that is born, a sprout that comes out speak of beginnings, of opening up to life that is characterized by joy and gives so much hope. Jesus is born for us; he wants to be in the midst of men and women of all times. He, the Hope of Israel, the Hope of humanity, our Hope.
Let us look at the crib and contemplate how God’s Love takes on our reality.
To speak about hope on Christmas Day leads us to consider the situations of the whole world: wars, difficulties, violence, but also the good that exists. Thinking of the people who are suffering, we might ask ourselves:
“What will Christmas be like for them? What does it mean for them to have hope?”
for them too the answer is Jesus, who needs us to manifest in the concreteness of our solidarity the ways in which to alleviate their sufferings, so that they too can say: “Christ is present and is born among us.”
This Christmas we pray for our “least Institute”, born in smallness, simplicity and great trust in the Lord, so that it may continue to grow in the light of the Spirit and experience the power of life that renews. Let us trust in God, He works in our weakness.
Let us ask the Virgin Mother to show us Jesus.
To her I entrust each one of you. May she show us how to welcome Him and how to make known the Love that gives joy and opens to hope.
This is my heartfelt wish together with the Sisters of the Council.
With affection
