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.

+ Oswald Gomis
Archbishop of Colombo                                                       

Christmas evokes in us sentiments of peace and goodwill. These sentiments are of special significance to us at this time of our country’s history when the whole nation is geared to an effort to restore peace in the land, after the turbulence of nearly twenty years.

Several groups of men and women of goodwill have been involved in this noble peace endeavour. They have made sincere effort to urge a political solution to the crisis, calling a halt to the armed conflict that raged.

Even though a permanent solution has not been forthcoming as up to this moment, there is now a glimmer of hope with the initiation of talks. At long last the peace effort that was initiated sometime back and is being presently vigorously pursued by the Government, with the participation of the LTTE, appears to signal a happy conclusion. While this is heart-warming and consoling, we have to remember that there is still a long way to go. Hence it is incumbent upon all of us to keep the process alive in our hearts and in our prayers.

Every effort succeeds to the extent that it receives the cooperation of all those concerned. This is more so, in a matter of national importance as ours. In this regard the cooperation of all the political parties is a first imperative. And the collaboration and cooperation of the two main political alliances is indeed indispensable. Therefore we re-iterate our plea to the leaders of the two major political alliances – the United National Front and the Peoples’ Alliance to consider the peace effort as of utmost priority raising it above all political and personal considerations. The nation has bled and bled profusely for the past several decades. It is time to cry a halt to this and restore the damage all this has caused – economically, socially, culturally and above all ethically, destroying the very fabric of our civilization of which we have been so proud over the centuries.

The news reports reaching us daily through the media present to us the picture of a country where the law and order situation has virtually collapsed. The new trend of indiscipline, of a serious and criminal nature, in some schools and universities is still more alarming. Living has become a dangerous venture even for the peace-loving citizen. All this does not augur well for the future of the nation. 

The primary remedy for all this is the immediate restoration of peace in the country so that the use of firearms and war will gradually and effectively give way to the restoration of the rule of law, and a culture of love and peace. We do not want war any more. And we pray for the fulfillment of the words of the Prophet Isaiah – “They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” (Is. 2:2)  

The birth of Christ brought a new dimension to our frail human nature. The infusion of God’s divinity into human life gave it a dignity beyond all telling. Thus we consider every human life as something sacred to be honoured and respected. Peace in the true sense of the Bible is achieved only when that dignity is upheld. It is for this reason that we advocate the safeguarding of human rights of all people irrespective of race, caste, creed or any other such distinction. We firmly believe that peace cannot be achieved without consideration for the human rights of all people. It is only in the framework of equality and fraternity that we could achieve lasting peace and build up a united, prosperous country.

We appeal to all our brothers and sisters of goodwill to promote the good of our nation at this very crucial period of time. We appeal to our own Christian community to make this Christmas an occasion to make special prayer and beg the Lord to grant us peace.

May Christ the Prince of Peace bless our peace effort and reward us with the gift of true peace and love. Wish you all a Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

+ Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis                                           
President

+ Bishop Marius Peiris
       `                                                                                                                   Secretary General