Cardinal Vincent Nichols said: “In the birth of Jesus, the presence in our flesh of the fullness of God, we are blessed in a way that is radical and irrevocable.”
He declared the Christ child lying in the manger to be “the greatest hope of all, a hope for every human being.”
During Christmas Eve Mass in Westminster Cathedral, he said: “Tonight this Cathedral is filled with beauty. At its focal point is the crib. Looking into the crib, our eyes go straight to the Christ child… With the eyes of faith, here we see the greatness of God in a tiny baby. Here, lying in the manger, is the greatest hope of all, a hope for every human being. “
The Cardinal urged people to visit the crib over the Christmas season and “see in it the brightness of eternity touching our world”.
At the crib, we “come to realise more deeply how richly God has bestowed his blessing on our world”, said Nichols.
“He blesses each one of us, with our hidden thoughts, our innermost yearnings and our worries.”
Nichols encouraged Catholics to be “agents of a culture not of cancelling but of blessing,” as a “fruit of Christmas.” He explained “Bitterness and conflict are no blessing; honest opinions expressed with respect and even humility can be. For that is how the blessing of God comes to us, in the humility of the birth of Jesus.”
He suggested Catholics could pray “and hope for a successful outcome in negotiations for a truce between Israel and Hamas” as well as “progress towards peace in Ukraine” and for a joint effort “to alleviate homelessness” in cities across the UK. He also asked for prayer that those “who arrive here fleeing the crippling effects of violence, instability and natural disaster” might be welcomed.
Bishop of Salford John Arnold said that so “many things” needed to be “mended and repaired in the world”. Christmas was “our opportunity to remind ourselves that Jesus is with us”.