Dear Faithful of CDM,
We have welcomed the New Year 2025 with a special attention on the people of God for hope in our hearts. There is hope for every one of us. On the New Year’s Day, we have prayed and pledged ourselves to be rooted in the Word of God, trusting in God of mercy, holding on to the Cross of Christ our anchor, invoking the powerful presence and guidance of St Joseph and Mary, the mother of Jesus.
We have taken the call of the Holy Father Francis who reminded us, Spes non confundit; “Hope does not disappoint” (Rom5:5). This New Year has begun in the spirit of hope, hope in God. Let’s remember that this year our focus would be to Celebrate, Listen and Walk as Pilgrims of Hope as it is a jubilee year. As Christians, we see and find hope in the Cross of Christ, from which flows the Divine Mercy for each one of us. Pope Francis prays and hopes that this hope filled year be a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the “door” (Jn.10:7,9) of our salvation, whom the Church is charged to proclaim always, everywhere and to all as “our hope” (1 Tim.1:1).
We heard in the gospel of Luke 2:16-21, the call for action to give hope to all especially to the ‘last, lost, least, little and the loved’ ones. The ‘shepherds’ were very poor and humble. They were quick to action, an action of ‘hope giving’. They had the most special place at the crib, heart of Jesus. What did these shepherds do? They received Jesus easily; they were available and approachable. It was here that all humanity received hope and peace.
Our last Parish Pastoral Assembly (PPA) has pointed out clearly the four areas of concern and care needed in the areas of Family, Church, Ecology and Society. We need to “reach out” together as members of the BEC, where the Church’s Christian Community is active in mission and evangelization by our ‘turun padang’ mind set, dirtying our hands and feet.
H – Help and
O – Offer
P – Prayer and peace to
E – Everyone, Everywhere, Every day.
Let us ask God to accompany our decisions, resolutions and journey in this grace and ‘hope filled’ New Year 2025. May Mary, Mother of Mercy and Hope help us!
“May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you,
May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace!”. Num. 6:22ff.
Prayers and blessings,
Fr George Harrison
Parish Priest