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Christmas Message : Dawn of long awaited Peace seems nearer now - Archbishop of Colombo

From the Archbishop of Colombo, Most Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis

We, Christians celebrate Christmas this year at a very significant moment of our country's history. The dawn of the long awaited peace seems nearer now than ever before. Especially within the past two decades we have been yearning and praying for the gift of peace, but it has been eluding us until now. The Peace Talks that have been initiated and the temporary cessation of hostilities have given us a new hope. All men of goodwill are hopeful as they witness signs in the horizon.

However, this should not make us complacent, contended and lethargic. Peace is not simply something that is to be showered on us, on the contrary, it is something that we have to pray and work for.

As much as there is the cessation of violence and armed struggle, there is also, and much more, the need to heal the wounds of hatred and revenge that still continue to reign in the hearts of many of our people.

Incensed by feelings that have been generated by decades of distrust, hostility and suffering, there are people whose whole fabric has been enraged not to feel the least sympathy towards the perpetrators of those evils. Much as there are persons on both sides who have argued that the infliction of this suffering is on "reasonable grounds", the fact remains that the persons who suffered think otherwise. Hence it is not easy to seek reconciliation and pardon.

It is here that the Christian is called to the most serious test - to test whether he or she could really be the imitator of Christ that he is expected to be.

Faced with the most trying moment of His life, Jesus said of His killers "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Giving credence and witness to the teaching He promulgated throughout His life to "Love your enemies and pray for them," He pleaded thus with His Father, and made sure that He did not hold an iota of revenge towards anyone. This is indeed the model set before every Christian to imitate. As St. Augustine said "When one takes revenge, one evildoer gets multiplied into two."

This supreme example of the Lord is the best we could teach our society today. Much as it is a very difficult proposition, especially for those who have suffered the bitter pain of violence, there is no alternative to heal the wound of hatred in a society. It is only forgiveness and inner healing that could bring us true peace. Reconciliation through forgiveness therefore is not just a corollary, but an antecedent to the political peace process.

Let us then make this Christmas a time of forgiveness and pardon. Let us, as Christians, be advocates of mercy and reconciliation. As much as each one of us would prepare with an ardent confession of his or her sins, to receive Christ in this symbolic coming, let us also extend this preparation to reconcile with each other. Going beyond, let us also be the apostles of reconciliation by preaching forgiveness among our brothers and sisters in the land so as to build goodwill and peace among all our people.

Without this inner peace and reconciliation political peace would still remain a dead letter. We would never see the dawn of that peace which Christ ushered by His birth. Forgiveness and reconciliation is a very specific characteristic of Christianity. It is our duty therefore to spread its message to all. May this Christmas be an opportunity for us to do so.

Wish you all a Very Happy Christmas accompanied with all the blessings of the Babe of Bethlehem.

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