Udupi: The bishop of Udupi, Most Rev Gerald Lobo, extended his Christmas message, describing Christmas as the very heartbeat of God’s love and a profound expression of His boundless affection for humanity.He said Christmas signifies God’s immeasurable love in offering His own Son to the world. The true celebration of Christmas, he noted, lies in experiencing this divine love, a source of compassion and tenderness, and becoming its reflection by sharing Christ’s love from our hearts.Quoting poet GS Shivarudrappa’s evocative lines that speak of light illuminating life, the bishop highlighted the significance of light in human existence. He recalled that when darkness enveloped the world, the birth of Christ in the silent midnight of Christmas brought the arrival of light. Christmas, he said, inspires humanity to walk in the light and become members of the Kingdom of Light, transforming darkness into hope, weariness into vitality, and lifelessness into renewed life.Referring to Jesus Christ as the Light of the World, Bishop Lobo said that Christmas is a festival that embraces human life with divine light and showers it with love. “Christmas is the festival of light in our lives,” he said, praying that Jesus, the Light of the World, may be born in every heart.He urged people to be enlightened by Christ’s radiance, renounce selfishness and hatred, and live lives rooted in unity and mutual understanding. He called for fostering brotherhood, harmony, and compassionate coexistence in society.
