Bishop Solis' Christmas Message 2019

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Bishop Oscar A. Solis prays before the manager scene in the Cathedral of the Madeleine following the 2018 Midnight Mass.

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, ‘God is with us.’” (Mt 1:23)

Our ever-loving God never fails to bless us. Since the beginning of time, the world has been the beneficiary of His graciousness and generosity. The incarnation of Christ becoming man, one like us except for sin to be our Savior, gives us hope. It is a significant moment – how God made heaven meet earth. Christ came not just to save us but also to bless the world and every one of us with His abiding love and saving presence, to give us fullness of life and abundant joy.

The celebration of Christmas and the blessings it brings come at the most opportune time in our world. This is an auspicious moment to reflect on the mystery of God’s love and the meaning of what we are celebrating. The gift of His Only Son Jesus Christ reveals the precious value of every human person. The special message of His birth rings loud in the midst of the blatant assault against the dignity and sanctity of life by the senseless killing of innocent lives through abortion, and by our insensitivity to the plight of the poor and the marginalized, especially those forced to flee their homes due to poverty, acts of violence, injustice and natural calamities. These bring tremendous sufferings that test our faith in God and people’s belief in the goodness of humanity.

The birth of Christ tells us of the simple and absolute truth that God cares for us and that we are precious in His eyes, worth living and dying for. It offers hope that our world badly needs. He calls us to share, live and proclaim this Good News not only in decorations, party celebrations, greeting cards and nativity sets, but also in concrete actions of kindness, understanding, generosity, justice, compassion and mercy.

Christmas is the day of fulfilment of God’s promise of salvation and the greatest manifestation of His merciful love for us in Christ. Let us live the true spirit and wonder of Christmas with deep faith in its power to transform our world so that true and abiding peace may reign again in our midst. As God shared His Son with us, we share Christ’s gift of peace and joy with one another.

I wish you all the joyful blessings of this Holy Season and I pray that your celebration of Christmas with your family and friends brings you lasting joy, love and peace. Give thanks for the Good News of our salvation, give God glory, and let us all welcome Christ our Savior into our hearts.

A blessed and Merry Christmas!

+ The Most Rev. Oscar A. Solis

Bishop of Salt Lake City