Unspeakable Sadness and Our Response

By Bishop Paul S. Loverde
Special to the Herald
(From the issue of 1/6/05)

During the Christmas season, you and I have gazed upon the Infant Jesus lying in the manger with His little arms outstretched to receive the love of our hearts. The Lord Jesus identifies Himself with all those who are in need; He states this so clearly in the twenty-fifth chapter of Saint Matthew’s Gospel. "I assure you, as often as you did it for one of my least brothers [and sisters], you did it for me" (Mt 25:40).

Ever since Dec. 26, we have experienced unspeakable sadness in the aftermath of one of the world’s most devastating natural disasters. On our television screens and in the newspapers, we have gazed into the faces of countless victims so terribly traumatized by the tsunami. The Jesus we have seen with arms outstretched in the manger is the same Jesus now visibly identified with each of those victims, whose arms are likewise outstretched to receive our assistance. We reach out to them now with the support of our prayer and aid.

Indeed, we must not cease to pray for these victims, who are our sisters and brothers in the human family, commending the dead to the Lord of Mercy and Life, and entrusting the living to His loving care, made visible through our generous outreach. Surely, these victims are being remembered in the general intercessions offered during the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice and in our own personal prayers and devotions each day. The Holy Mass can be offered for them as well. I am pleased that parishes, like Our Lady of Good Counsel in Vienna, have already been offering Masses for the victims.

Moreover, we must reach out with our financial assistance to help these suffering sisters and brothers of ours. The nearly 400,000 members of our diocese will be offered the opportunity to assist the victims of Southeast Asia through a second collection on the weekend of Jan. 15-16. The funds collected will be given entirely to Catholic Relief Services (CRS) for assisting the victims through effected regions. (My letter to you is printed elsewhere in this issue of The Arlington Catholic Herald.)

Yes, during this Christmas season, the Infant Jesus has become visible in a way we would not have imagined. He has identified Himself with each victim of the disastrous tsunami. Let us reach out to Him in them and offer the support of our ongoing prayer and generous assistance.

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