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Christmas meeting of all consecrated in Cyprus

Christmas meeting of all consecrated in Cyprus

2023

On 27 December 2022, the meeting of all the priests, of all religious men and women of Cyprus took place in the Maronite Archbishopric in Nicosia. The desire for a Church on the journey commits us, especially in these days when we contemplate the Incarnation of the Word of God, to encounter the Lord with our heart, life and faith.

The meeting offered us moments of sharing and reflection on some fundamental issues for a synodal Church. After the invocation to the Holy Spirit, the word was given to His Excellency Mons. Selim Sfeir, Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus. On the liturgical feast for the Maronite Church of St. Stephen, Archbishop Sfeir focused his reflection on the clear relationship between the figure of St. Stephen and our mission, underlining the intrinsic comparison between the Christmas of Jesus Christ and the 'dies natalis' of the protomartyr (cf. Acts 6). Yesterday Christ was wrapped in swaddling clothes for us. Today, Stephen offers himself with robes of immortality. Today the narrowness of a manger favoured Christ with God. Today the immensity of heaven received Stephen triumphant. The Lord came down to lift up many.

His Excellency highlighted how the 'mission' of spreading the Gospel touches us personally and asks us to proclaim not only with words but above all with our lives, bearing witness to the joy of the Gospel and sowing in truth and beauty, sometimes even amidst tears. A very important task for us is to witness, with our lives, the freshness of Christian doctrine, making use of new methods and forms of expression, of eloquent signs and words of renewed meaning for today's world. Archbishop Sfeir invites us to a tangible apostolate following the example of St. Stephen:

  • illuminate the world with the joy of the Gospel;
  • give new meaning to events;
  • show everyone the way that leads to God, through charity.

In the second part of the meeting, the word was given to Father Bruno Varriano, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Cyprus. Father Bruno thanked Mons. Sfeir for the opportunity to experience this moment of unity between the Latin and Maronite Church. Indeed, walking together is the first testimony of the Catholic Church. The speaker introduced the theme "The incarnation of the Word, an encounter with human fragility" with the video message of the Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Patton ofm, from the Bethlehem grotto.

Background Questions: What does it really mean to celebrate Christmas? Celebrating Christmas is acquiring more humanity, it is loving the humanity of God who incarnates Himself. Where is our humanity in Incarnation? What changes in our life with the Incarnation of the Word? To speak of the spirituality of the Child, the word is 'kenosis'. God who humbles himself and is born with all human toil. Where is our 'kenosis'?

The Birth of the Lord brings us the novelty of the message that the humanity of Christ can have for every person and for the life and missionary action of the Church. We can speak of humanism only starting from the centrality of Christ when:

  • we welcome man in his reality;
  • we defend man in his dignity;
  • we nourish a look of hope.

Father Bruno developed the argument of the 'embodied' faith. The one that faces the fragility and incompleteness of our behaviors in faith, hope and charity. At the end, he reflects on the question, By what signs can one evaluate whether a person lives a spiritual life? The true sign, according to Saint Irenaeus of Leo, is charity. If a person lives charity, he therefore lives the spiritual life. Topic dear to the seraphic father St. Francis, from the humility of incarnation to the charity of passion. In the intimate relationship with the person of Christ and through the Gospel, through the sacraments, charity, prayer and the poor; spiritual affection springs forth a relationship extremely rich in participation and sharing.

The approach that Father Bruno adopted was truly enriching and appreciated by all the participants, above all for the perspective of man not seen in fragmented and non-communicating dimensions but in the perspective of the Trinitarian man, leaning towards transcendence in a dimension of dialogue, sharing and participation.

It was wonderful to be together, to meet the new religious men and women who arrived in Cyprus. As Franciscans and missionaries, we want to be a synodal community that fits into the different contexts of ethnic groups and cultures of the island. In the intertwining and meeting of peoples, we are called to safeguard the open space in which everyone can feel welcomed and touched by God's mercy. Pope Francis emphasized during his visit to Cyprus: "There are not and hopefully there will not be walls in the Catholic Church."