Another unusual Christmas. Far from everything familiar. Starting with the weather. Accustomed to the high temperatures of the Tropic of Capricorn, this year I spent the Christmas holidays with very low temperatures. But the hardest part is being away from my family and lifelong friends. So many things are different and yet it is the same celebration. We celebrate God's love for us, human beings, manifested in Jesus Christ. Love so great that it has had no objection to descend to our human condition with all its limitations except that of sin.
It is the experience of God's Love that has opened my eyes to make me see that despite the physical and affective distances, here too there is a group of brothers and sisters who, when they come together, share the joy that the encounter with Jesus Child produces: it is the Christian community that celebrates with the birth of Jesus the possibility of a new life for all. The best example for these days of joy is Mary. She was ready to serve those who needed it (specifically her relative Elizabeth) and in that service she was able to realize everything that God has done for her people and for her (Magnificat). May service in and through our community bring us the joy of knowing that we are loved by God.