CHURCH

Christmas Season 2022: Despite everything, Christmas is coming!

The birth of Jesus is the most powerful sign and message of hope in a world darkened by the shadows of fear and uncertainty. Each year, Vatican Radio brings you the voices of religious leaders and heads of Christian charitable organizations as they reflect upon the transformative power of the Good News that “Christ is born!” Today's message comes from Dr Paolo Ruffini, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication.

"Despite the war, the crisis, the darkness that envelops us," says Dr Paolo Ruffini, "Christmas is coming!"

In his Christmas Message for 2022, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication wishes a "Merry Christmas" to all "our faithful travelling companions in the communion that unites us through the radio, the web, and social media."

Dr Ruffini reminds us of the mystery of Christmas, the mystery of God becoming Man, being born as a "fragile, defenceless" baby.

"And with Him comes the joy we are seeking," he says. "Letting the Good News travel from person to person as something beautiful because it is true. Beautiful because it is personally experienced. Beautiful because it tells of the beauty of God and of humankind. And because it builds a togetherness a communion that sweeps away any loneliness."

Read the full Christmas Message from Dr Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication:

Dr Paolo Ruffini's Message for Christmas 2022

Christmas is coming, despite everything.

Despite the war, the crisis, the darkness that envelops us.

Christmas is coming, so Merry Christmas to all of you, who are our faithful travelling companions in the communion that unites us through the radio, the web, and social media.

Communication, when it is good, when it is not fed with fake news, produces these fruits: it weaves communion, builds community, bears witness to the good, the beautiful, the right, and helps us find a glimmer of light even when we seem to see only darkness.

Jesus was really born, God became man.

Christmas has already come. In a time that is not our own, but was as dark as our own.

We should not be afraid. It is always darkest before dawn. But Good has already triumphed over evil.

Seemingly fragile, God made himself man and was born as a baby. He has already scattered the proud in their conceit. He has already cast down the mighty from their thrones. He has already lifted the lowly.

As Don Primo Mazzolari, a parish priest, a prophet of the last century, wrote in one of his poems:

If you want Him, God is near to you.
Even if you do not want Him, He is close to you.
He speaks to you even if you do not speak with Him,
If you do not love Him, He loves you even more.
If you are lost, He comes to find you.
If you cannot walk, He carries you.
If you weep, you are blessed because He comforts you.
If you are poor, you have secured the Kingdom of Heaven.
If you hunger and thirst for righteousness, you will have your desire satisfied.
If you are persecuted for the sake of righteousness
you can rejoice and exult.
This is how joy enters the world
through a child who has nothing.
Joy is made of nothing,
because every man who comes into the world
comes empty-handed.
He walks, works, and suffers with empty hands,
he dies and leaves empty-handed.

This is the mystery of Christmas.

The mystery of God becoming a Man, becoming a Child: fragile, defenceless. The astonishing mystery of fragile omnipotence illuminates our frailty with a new light. It transfigures it, transforms it.

He came, He comes.

And with Him comes the joy we are seeking. Letting the Good News travel from person to person as something beautiful because it is true. Beautiful because it is personally experienced. Beautiful because it tells of the beauty of God and of humankind. And because it builds a togetherness a communion that sweeps away any loneliness.

Merry Christmas to all of you.

Dr Paolo Ruffini
Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication