Christmas isn’t just a word, it requires action

BELIZE

The rice and beans, relleno (a mixture of chicken, pork or beef, eggs cooked with a black recado paste), ham, salad, chicken, duck, all the soft and not so soft drinks at Christmas will not make us the one people we are called to be.

All those things will not truly make for a merry Christmas, Bishop Lawrence Nicasio of Belize City and Belmopan said in his Christmas message to faithful.

It is the meal shared with each other during the season of Christmas that will allow  hearts to be opened and minds to live together in peace and in love in homes, communities and in the beautiful country, Belize, he said.

“By itself, Christmas is a word. We make it truly Christmas by our positive participation in its true meaning and importance to us and to the world we live in,” Bishop Nicasio said.

The full text of the Bishop’s message was published in the December issue of The Christian Herald.

Bishop Nicasio observed that the sayings “Christmas di come!” “Christmas deh right ya!” can be “very frightening” for people who live Christmas according to the dictates of the materialistic world. For those people who live Christmas according to the dictates of the Word of God and His Church, this day, this season brings true excitement.

“Remember that our true joy comes from serving Him well. The world will tell us to serve Him when it is convenient for us and to hate our enemies but God’s Word commands us to show our love by loving our enemies and pray for those who hate us. We are always to do the right thing!” he said.

Mary and Joseph, the parents of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, did the right thing. They were about putting God’s desire first. Their participation in the story of God’s love for humanity has provided the season of Christmas, Bishop Nicasio said.