Bishop Mark Hagemoen’s Christmas Message – LINK to PDF

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By Bishop Mark Hagemoen, Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon

“Nothing is more beautiful than love. Indeed, faith and hope will end when we die, whereas love, that is, charity, will last for eternity; if anything, I think it will be even more alive in the next life! …Learn to be stronger in spirit than in your muscles. If you are, you will be real apostles of faith in God.”  –  Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

Sisters and brothers in Christ, these words from Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati – who will be canonized in the upcoming Jubilee Year 2025 by Pope Francis – provide inspiration and encouragement. Announcing the Jubilee 2025, Pope Francis stated: “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision.”

We prepare to celebrate another Christmas season, and are launching into the Jubilee Year themed “Pilgrims of Hope.” Blessed Giorgio Frassati reminds and challenges us about the vision and pathway before us.

During these darker and colder days, in the midst of a world still dealing with much violence and strife, our hearts are stirred by the meaning of the call to be alive and to deepening faith. A similar message comes to us from St. Paul: “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died…. for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.” (see I Corinthians 15:20-22)

Our hearts yearn for the fulfillment of the angel’s proclamation at the birth of our Saviour, the Light of the World, Jesus Christ: “Peace on earth, goodwill to those upon whom His favour rests.” (Luke 2:14)

We also recall that the Saviour who comes to us at Christmas takes on anything that can come between us and the love of God. This He does through the cross – His holy cross which redeems the world! (St. Francis of Assisi) As Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati states, we respond to the privilege of being real apostles of faith in God – by being strong not merely in body, but in spirit. As the Apostle St. Paul exhorts, “May I never boast of anything except the cross of  our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (see Galatians 6:14)

Jesus is the great light and hope that has come into the world. This is the reality that we celebrate joyfully at Christmas. It is the great good news that GOD IS WITH US. Emmanuel has indeed come! Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is loving us, suffering with us, caring for us, holding us.

I invite you all to take time during this season of preparation and celebration to take a personal inventory of on what we gaze, and … what is the source of our hope? It is so easy to be distracted by temporary or false hopes, as it is easy to be distracted by false gods that at best endure only for a short time. He brings a new way of peace and healing that fills us with the great rejoicing, that bursts forth in our songs and carols, that is reflected in our lights, decorations and gifts to others: Joy to the World! This awareness also means that we can live and act with renewed and bold hope – real and true hope!

I conclude with the words of Pope Francis as he announced the Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope: “Put on faith and your life will take on a new flavour. Put on hope and every one of your days will be enlightened and your horizon will no longer be dark. Put on love and your life will be like a house built on rock, your journey will be joyful because you will find many friends to journey with you.”

Let us remember that you and I are called to the hope that finds its source in the Saviour who comes to us at Christmas. The Incarnation – Jesus who is the Word of God made flesh among us – is the inspiration and source of all hope. This awareness has been the inspiration for the upcoming Jubilee Year, as we seek to be teachers and patterns of hope …for each other… and for the world.

I take this opportunity to thank you all for your love and faithfulness to God and His people, and his salvific desire for all the world. I also thank you for all that you each do every day to respond to the needs of those you care for, with compassion and care.

I wish you, your families, and communities, a blessed and joy-filled Christmas season!

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Diocesan Communications and Catholic Saskatoon News are supported by gifts to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal: dscf.ca/baa.