With the birth of Christ, "he came among us and has been walking the path of history with us ever since." And this is such an elemental truth, such a sure point of reference that helps you through all anxiety, all material or other insecurities, all troubles and suffering.
The life of man and humanity is also moving towards meeting God - said Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest on Christmas night in Budapest.
In the packed St. Stephen's Basilica, the cardinal spoke about how the candles lit at Christmas symbolize the eternal and all-pervading brightness that
With the birth of Christ, "he came among us and has been walking the path of history with us ever since."
And this is such an elemental truth, such a sure point of reference that helps you through all anxiety, all material or other insecurities, all troubles and suffering, he said.
In history, man can wander far from his creator, but in the end the truth and the full reality always prevails, since " neither our individual life nor the life of humanity is limited to the time spent on earth, but lasts into eternity, the encounter with the God who loves man towards," said Péter Erdő.
Cardinal Péter Erdõ, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, will celebrate Christmas midnight mass in the Saint Stephen's Basilica on December 25, 2024.
MTI/Attila Kovács
According to the cardinal, the thinking and functioning of humanity seems to be increasingly covered by darkness, in which people lose their direction, in which they only pay attention to themselves, they do not see the purpose of their lives and the other person.
"We don't even see the true purpose of things, because we don't notice the smiling, loving and personal God who smiles at us in the depths of our world."
And yet the angel's message wishes exactly that there should be glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to the people whom God loves.
"Christianity is a new, homely, confident and serene worldview", and it is not just a philosophy, but "a personal love relationship with God who became man for us and because of him, in him and through him, with each other".
Jesus says about himself: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me does not walk in darkness.” Jesus did not bring a philosophy of life, nor a mere teaching about how to make our lives more reasonable or pleasant, but he came personally.
If we are in a living relationship with him, then things and people get real light, then we really walk in the real light, and all our actions - even those that we do only out of routine, from getting up in the morning to studying and driving on the street to work - illuminated by the light.
"Let the light that arose in the night of Bethlehem illuminate the lives of the peoples and our lives as well, because Christ gives meaning to our lives, guides us and helps us to live in solidarity with each other," said Péter Erdő.
MTI
Cover photo: Cardinal Péter Erdõ, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest celebrates Christmas midnight mass in the Saint Stephen's Basilica on December 25, 2024.
MTI/Attila Kovács
