Canada, 5 December 2013: Archbishop Paul-André Durocher, President of the Canadian
Conference of Catholic Bishops, wished all a 'lucid' Christmas, in his Christmas Message
2013 released on Thursday. He said that the word ‘lucid’ comes from the Latin 'lucidus',
illuminated, well-lit, and that it applies well to the Christmas season.
However,
'lucid' is also said of a person who is conscious, alert and perceptive. We cannot
celebrate Christmas lucidly when we lock ourselves up in a romantic fantasy bubble
that blinds itself to the reality that surrounds us. A lucid Christmas does not close
its eyes to the desperate poverty of so many people in our world. A lucid Christmas
does not forget a neighbour's depressing loneliness nor a cousin's emotional pain.
It does not hide from youth's concerns about the future and old age's regrets about
the past.
To celebrate Christmas with lucidity means reaching out to others,
especially the unloved and the forgotten. It means opening your heart and wallet to
share your small wealth with those who have even less. It means carrying in mind and
in prayer the victims of natural storms - hurricanes and earthquakes - and human storms
- wars and terrorism - that afflict so many parts of our global village. It means
refusing to get carried away by the extravagance of a consumerism that only sees in
this time of year an opportunity to max out the cash registers.
Yes, I long
for a lucid Christmas, concluded the Archbishop, enlightened by the Father who said
'Let there be light"; by the Son, 'the morning star come to visit us"; and by the
Spirit dwelling in us as "tongues of fire". May our own lucidity, purified by the
grace that comes from above, allow our world to shine a bit with this kingdom of justice,
peace and joy that the child of the manger came to inaugurate among us. Source: VR
Sedoc