Third Order Of The Society of St. Francis

Dear Brothers and Sisters
I write this letter just over a month since the IPTOC in New York and just a week after our Southern Regional Chapter in Port Elizabeth. Both these chapters went extremely well where we deliberated the three P’s – our key focus as Franciscans – Poverty (the concern for those who are poor and marginalised), Peace (in our hearts and in the world) and Planet (the care of). It made me so aware that we are an Incarnational People, a people who are living out our vocation and striving to enflesh the Christ-child in our lives, in our churches and in our communities. Yes, the feast of the Incarnation of Christ our Lord is upon us, that great feast that brings an unspeakable sense of exhilaration and happiness at this time of the year. It is that exciting time when the bright Star of Bethlehem sets our world alight with it message of Good News. It is a wonderful time when friends and family come together, draw closer to each other and gather not only to celebrate Christmas but also to celebrate the ties that bind them together. Amidst the hype of Christmas we must not lose sight of that first Christmas day and the birth of Christ as a vulnerable baby in the simple surroundings of a stable in Bethlehem. Otherwise we are emptying the Feast of its original meaning and closing our eyes and ears to the message of the Good News. The gospels describes how as a helpless baby, Jesus, was born outside the city gates, in a stable, a feeding trough for animals, the child of poor parents into a harsh world. In this way he accepted us as we are, and identified with the outcast, the marginalised and the poor and lowly. So like the shepherds we ponder again the mystery of the Christ Child, the Son of God entering our world as one of us, clothed in our human flesh with all its limitations and weaknesses.

Just as the Angels praised the glory of God made visible in the child Jesus with songs of joy, so we are called to do the very same (One of the notes of our Order). In the mystery of the baby breathing in the manger we are reminded that God breathes his spirit into the darkness of our lives and opens up a marvellous future for us. The coming of Jesus among us can change our view on life, it can restore our sense of self-esteem and enable us to be channels of his peace and love in our lives and the lives of others. Yet, in this joyful season, suffering and sadness do not go away. Christmas is an incredibly emotive time especially for those who have lost a family member or a close friend quite recently. There is the reality of the pain of absence in memories of times past and a life shared with a beloved. We are also reminded again that there are those who are poor or alone and those who are under pressure because of some misfortune or personal tragedy. We are to hold them in our prayers. Christmas brings us the assurance that no matter what happens to us, no matter how dark the days, God wants us to be free from anxiety and to grant us a peace that the world cannot give.

May you and your family, no matter what the circumstances or where you are, find happiness and peace and joy during this Christmas season!