Cardinal Nichols sends his Christmas message for 2016 in which he expresses his wish for us all to hold mercy in our hearts and show compassion to those nearest to us.
What a wonderful time of the year, just a few days before Christmas and all of those festivities to look forward to.
We have just finished the Year of Mercy in which I believe the Church has grown greatly in its appreciation of God’s mercy and of God reaching out to us that we may walk tall.
Of course God’s mercy literally takes flesh in the person of Jesus and in that incarnation we learn that God dwells among us – especially in the poor and in those who are most on the margins of society.
So as we come to receive again the word of God and his mercy, our hearts need to be overflowing with compassion; for those nearest to us who we love, for those who will probably spend Christmas alone, for those who are suffering in mind and body and for the so many people without homes who are keenly aware of being virtually abandoned at this time of the year.
Let us rejoice mightily but also be generous, mightily generous, so that we might in our lives reflect the great generosity of God and that others may reflect in theirs the joy that we feel.
A very Happy Christmas to you all and may God bless you.
