Preamble
Grace and peace to you in this holy season of Christmas!
By Most Rev. Dr. Gabriel Blamo Jubwe, Metropolitan Archbishop of Monrovia
As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, I am reminded of the words of Isaiah the Prophet, “The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwell in the land of gloom a light has shone. For to us a Child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9: 1.5).
In fulfillment of his prophetic mission, Isaiah guided the people of Judah through one of the most critical periods of their history. While their neighbors would boast of their military might and victories, the spiritual crisis of Judah was worse than physical destruction. It was this situation that led Isaiah to condemn Judah’s arrogance, selfishness, and heartless cruelty to the poor.
However, Isaiah consistently declared that God would never desert his people, even when Judah was enmeshed in the darkness of iniquity. Rather, a faithful remnant would be raised up, and the country would be restored by a ruler who would reign with justice, mercy, and peace.
The Christmas event that we commemorate today, the Word becoming flesh (John 1:14), is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah. On this day, we commemorate God’s unwavering love for people, which led him to send his only Son to make amends between us and with Him. At Christmas, we are called to live, celebrate, and spread this love.
“Joy to the world, the Savior comes; let earth receive her King” writes the songwriter inspired by Psalm 98. It is a contagious joy first heralded by angels and later chorused by the shepherds saying “glory to God in the highest, and peace to men and women of good will” (Luke 2:14). This is the joy that we, at Christmas, are called to share, to celebrate and to proclaim.
The joy with which God, in his infinite mercy, has embraced us regardless of our finite and feeble human state, and demands that we do the same. It is a joy that invites and compels us to offer all that is within our power to be generous to the less-privileged in our midst through our kind words of affirmation and offering the support that we can as our proclamation of the joyous tidings that ‘God is with us.’
Peace
Among the many attributes given to the New Born King is “Prince of Peace”, The peace brought by our Lord was not and is not only to put an end to armed conflicts but also and more importantly to bring about spiritual harmony, reconciliation, forgiveness and human flourishing. In a world torn by war, violence and the horrific experiences of humans are capable of doing to one another, the Prince of Peace comes to bring Peace to our hearts, our families, our communities, and especially those who are hurting as a result of injustice or loss of their loved ones.
As was collectively pointed out with my Brother Bishops of CABICOL during our 2023 elections message, ‘peace’ was the most sought-after word in Liberia for fourteen years. And thanks to God, and with the help of the International Community, we have been living and savoring ‘peace’; howbeit fragile.
However, the recent happenings in our political dispensation pose a challenge to our fragile peace. We cannot at this time allow personal and selfish interests derail our hard-won peace. Like in every nascent democracy, we may have ideological disagreements, but our political disagreements must and should be resolved in accordance with the principles of our democratic process, with a focus on upholding the rule of law.
Let us therefore ask the Prince of Peace to make us, in the words of St. Francis of Assisi, “instruments of peace”, that “where there is hatred, we may show love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light and where there is sadness, joy”.
Security
“And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger’ (Luke 2, 12).
The Prince of Peace was born in a fragile and most unsaved condition; in the manger because there was no room for them in the inn. Moreover, his birth provoked the most powerful of the time, leading Herod the despotic leader to terminate the lives of innocent children under the age of two, all because he wanted to be in power at all cost (cf. Matthew 2: 16-18).
Closely related to the phenomenon of peace is that of security. The peace of Christmas should and must radiate in the security of the lives and properties of all.Peace evokes security and security presupposes peace. While we commend our brothers and sisters in the security sector, at times working under strenuous and low budgetary conditions, we strongly recommend that the lives of all, without exception be protected. Our Savior comes at Christmas not for a few, but for ALL and that “all may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
The People
Again, the song of the angels is worth recalling: “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to people of good will’ (Luke 2, 14). The peace and security being evoked is upon all, because in every created human being, there is the image and likeness of the Creator (Gen 1, 27).
The Savior who comes at Christmas, comes to serve and not to be served; shifting the paradigm of leadership. He will emphatically warn his followers later saying:
“You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10, 43-45)
It is therefore imperative that the interest of our people should come first. The spirit of Christmas mandates us to put the care of our people, especially the poor and marginalized first. It is un-Christmas to have few in our society swimming in wealth while majority of the people are subject to abject poverty, struggling to make ends meet.
Conclusion
As we celebrate the Nativity of the Savior of the world, let us remember that on Christmas Eve of this year, the Holy Father, Pope Francis officially opened the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, marking the beginning of the Jubilee Year 2025.The Jubilee will last the whole of next year at which time special indulgences are granted to those who undertake pilgrimages, engage in acts of charity, devote themselves to prayer and penance. In the spirit of the Jubilee Year, I therefore urge everyone to embrace the spirit of Christmas by extending a hand of kindness to those in need and fostering unity across all divides, irrespective of political ideologies. May this season rekindle our collective resolve to build a nation founded on justice, fairness, and mutual respect! Let us also pray for the wisdom, strength and resilience to overcome our challenges and for brighter days in 2025. Let us not forget one of the protagonists of this unique history, Mary our Mother. We entrust our dear country Liberia once more, under her maternal care, asking her to intercede for us. May I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year while I impart my blessings!
