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Christmas Mass/ Archbishop Joan conveyed the message of hope and love

2025-12-25 10:18:00, Aktualitet CNA

The traditional Christmas mass was held at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana. Archbishop Joan conveyed the message of the holiday, recalling that the Word of God became flesh and dwells among us, bringing hope and peace to believers.

Archbishop Joan emphasized that Christmas is not only connected to the birth of a prophet, but to the presence of God in people's lives. Only by helping others can the love and light of Christ grow and stay alive.

The Christmas holiday comes as light and hope for all. From the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana, Archbishop Joan wished the faithful a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.

Hundreds of believers followed the mass closely, praying for more prosperity and happiness in their families.

Archbishop Joan's full message

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, writes Saint John the Evangelist. These words summarize and express the meaning of the Christmas holiday in the deepest and most perfect way. If we focus on understanding the significance of this great mystery, in which the Son and Word of the Father was mercifully made man, then we will be able to participate in the celebration and spiritual joy and will feel within us the transforming power of experiencing this event. The Incarnation is not simply a miracle or a mystery worthy of admiration.

It is the greatest gift that could be given to humanity. The Son and Word of God becomes incarnate and sits beside human suffering, touching the distortion of our nature to guide it, revealing to us the depth of compassion and profound humility, which arises from his infinite love for the whole world. Saint Athanasius the Great expresses this shocking truth in a concise way: the Son of God became man, so that we might become gods.

As we continue to prepare for the celebration of Christmas, it helps us to remember that this great feast is not about the birth of a teacher, prophet, or lawgiver. The eternal God intervenes in history and becomes man, ceaselessly as the being of the full God, to bring us into his holiness, to make us partakers of his divine nature, to heal, restore, and fulfill our heavy and deformed humanity.

Through his presence and divine energy, Christ the God-Man strengthens and enlivens our nature and unites us with God, which no teacher, prophet, or lawgiver could ever do. Christmas invites us to join in the call of the angels, that we too may praise Him with them, glory to God in the highest and peace to all, goodwill toward men.

But the announcement of the birth of Christ did not come in the same way to everyone. An angel came to the humble shepherds, because their hearts were humble and pure. To the wise men of the east, who were thirsty for knowledge, he gave them a star and again an angel to guide them, while to the proud and cunning rulers, the news did not bring joy, but fear, darkness and rejection, and they wanted to kill the newborn baby. The event is offered to everyone, but it bears fruit only in those who have a desire for good and good intentions; it came to his own and his own did not receive it, but to all who received it he gave power to become children of God, writes Saint John the Evangelist. For every person who seeks inner peace, truth and fulfillment, the joyful and luminous feast of Christmas comes as a ray of hope, consolation and peace.

In one of his sermons, Saint John Gojarti says: then what can be equal to these good news? God on earth, man in heaven, and all were united, and reconciliation was made between God and our nature. Death was destroyed, heaven was opened, the curse was blotted out, sin was taken out of the way, error was banished, truth returned, the word of godliness was sown everywhere and flourished in its growth. The society of heaven was transferred to earth, or rather, things on earth were connected with those in heaven.

Dear brothers and sisters, we must joyfully proclaim this good news and testify with zeal and without tiring that God now dwells among us. A true witness saves lives. The wise Solomon says: it is the duty of every Christian to spread it, to share this light with the whole world, because only by sharing it with others can the light be preserved and grow; otherwise, it will fade and eventually disappear. Now more than ever, the world needs the light of Christ. A life without the presence of God becomes miserable, it turns into a life without love, without joy, without light, a life in darkness; only his presence can illuminate our hearts and souls and can give our lives light and joy. He is the light in our darkness, and his teaching, says the psalmist, is a lamp for our journey in this life.

To celebrate the birth of Christ spiritually, let us take care during these festive days to experience more deeply the holiness and greatness of this divine gift. We can do this by cleansing our hearts from all evil and filling them with love and humility towards all people, especially those in need, in poverty, in sickness, in despair and in loneliness. The Lord identified himself with people in need, telling us: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me; truly I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least of these my brothers, you did for me”. Only by doing this will Christmas have true meaning and everything in us will be illuminated by the word made flesh.

Merry Christmas for many years and a blessed new year!