Press Releases
CHRISTMAS MESSAGES 1998 from the Archbishop of Dublin
From The Most Reverend Dr W.N.F Empey
Archbishop of Dublin, Primate of Ireland
A little boy entered a museum and saw a sculptor chipping away at a huge block of marble. For a while he was fascinated as he watched the sculptor at work but soon he became bored, as there did not seem to be any point in the activity. Some months later he returned to the museum and was amazed to see a beautiful marble lion crouched to spring upon its prey. He could not believe his eyes. Just then the sculptor passed by and the little boy plucked up the courage to ask him a question. “Sir” he said “how did you find the lion in the marble?” “Oh” replied the sculptor “it was this way. The lion in my heart recognised the lion in the marble and that is how it came about”. The little boy was satisfied.
In those wonderful first fourteen verses of St. John’s Gospel we read ‘The true light that enlightens every one was coming into the world”. But we also read that by no means everyone saw that light for we read again “He came to His own and His own people received Him not”. People like Herod, Pilate and many others certainly did not see the light in Him. But there were those who did. The light that was in their hearts recognised the light in Him and because they recognised that light and received Him. He gave power to become the children of God.
To this day even amongst those who call themselves Christians there are those whose bigotry and sectarian attitudes shut out that light. They are so imprisoned in the dark cells of their own denominations that they are unable to see the light shining in others who do not share fully their own understanding of the Gospel. Jesus came; Jesus comes to enlighten all our hearts in order that we may bring that light to a suffering world and to our suffering communities. That is one of the wonderful messages of Christmas and it is also the challenge to all Christians.
May we all with whatever light there is in our hearts recognise the Light who can bring us a richness of life that passes all understanding..