My dear People of God,

Christmas is just round the corner and everybody is preparing to celebrate this feast. Let’s ask ourselves seriously how are we preparing for this celebration.

Christmas is a sacred feast commemorating the birth of Christ but in today’s world, Christmas has become a secular celebration for many people. In Singapore and in many other countries, streets and buildings are beautifully decorated and resplendent with lights. People are busy buying new clothes, preparing sumptuous meals and arranging parties. These externals can enhance the celebration of the feast, but concentrating on these externals can divert our attention from the real meaning of Christmas.

Let us bear in mind. There is no Christmas without Christ and so Christ must be the center of our celebrations. This means that our celebration of Christmas must be a celebration of love: “God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son.”

And so our celebration should focus on love. It’s a time for us to extend our love and friendship, a time to be reconciled, a time to reach out to the less fortunate – the poor, the sick, the aged, the lonely, a time to promote peace and harmony.

In the world today unfortunately many are encountering so much sufferings, merciless killing, financial crisis, immorality, political crisis… Why so? Because people do not know Christ; because people refuse to accept Christ: “He came unto His own and His own received Him not!”

And so, my dear people of God, let us prepare to celebrate Christmas in the proper way. Make Christ the center of our celebration. Share Him with others by reaching out in love especially to those in need. In doing this, Christmas will truly be CHRIST-mas for us.

A joyous and blessed Christmas and a grace-filled New Year to one and all.


Devotedly yours in Christ

Archbishop Nicholas Chia

Back to Announcements List