Christmas is the event that reminds us of God’s decision to enter into direct dialogue with humanity.
At Christmas, we see God answering to our aspiration to enter into dialogue with Him.
At Christmas, we see God becoming one like us, our friend and a member of our family.
At Christmas, God becomes man to dwell in our homes, in our midst and in our hearts.
At Christmas, we become God’s adopted children, through his son Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem.
At Christmas, God ceases to be a mystery to humanity as He revealed Himself in Jesus Christ.
At Christmas, we learn about God who is Love; the one who lives in love, lives in God and God in him.
At Christmas, God, because of His love for us, commits Himself to love us forever.
At Christmas, God enters into an eternal covenant of love with humanity, and each of us becomes His sons and daughters in Jesus Christ.
At Christmas, God started this great universal dialogue with humanity. Now, all of us are called to enter into this dialogue with God and with our neighbors through our daily lives, so that we could build a human family on the lasting foundations of peace, harmony and love, the only way to build a world without conflict, division and hatred.
All this happens through a woman called Mary who offered herself to be the Mother of God and thereby mother of all of us in her Son Jesus.
Last October 10-11, Astana saw a landmark gathering of leaders of traditional and world religions. The Congress, promoted by President Nazarbayev, has over the past 15 years contributed to foster a culture of dialogue among religions of the world and to promote greater understanding and mutual respect.
Let this Christmas once again be for all of us an occasion to revive, nurture and cherish, through dialogue, our deep-rooted universal values of brotherhood, solidarity, peace, and love.
My Christmas message to all in Kazakhstan is therefore to grasp this celebration of Christmas as an opportunity to become better persons and to build thus a better world filled with happiness, peace and love.
Merry Christmas to all of you. Thank you.
Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt
Apostolic Nuncio to Kazakhstan
