We are created for love, not for hatred, says Mangalore Bishop in his Christmas message

Mangaluru: Bishop of Mangalore Diocese Most Rev. Dr Peter Paul Saldanha extended the Christmas greeting to all on Friday, December 23.

“I warmly greet you for this Christmas. May the birth of Jesus our Saviour fill into your life goodness and love. Remember, love alone is credible. When you love, you become attractive. May this Christmas make you champions of love,” he said in his message and wished everyone a “Happy Christmas and Blessed New Year 2023.”

“Jesus asks us to realize our true nature. We are created for love, not for hatred. God is love and the enemy of God promotes hatred. Love is heaven and hatred is hell… Christian manifests love and service… Those who promote hatred are, destroying themselves before they destroy others. They do not have God in them and therefore
no hope either,” he said.

The bishop quoted Swami Vivekananda’s statement contemplating Jesus’ life. Swami Vivekananda said: “Had
I lived in Palestine, in the days of Jesus of Nazareth, I would have washed his feet, not with my tears, but with my heart’s blood!”. He founded the Ramakrishna Mission on the eve of Christmas, the bishop said.

Like Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi also cherished the person and teaching of Jesus. Gandhi forgave those who hurt him as Jesus forgave those who killed him. For a world beset with many contradictions, Gandhi showed the way of love and forgiveness. He identified seven deadly sins which are rampant even today: wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, science without humanity, knowledge without character, politics without principle, commerce without morality, and worship without sacrifice, the Bishop said.

Divine love alone can raise us up to come out of this chaos and corruption which affects our society, he added.