當香港和世界眾多地方正熱切準備慶祝聖誕節的時候，究竟目前的甚麼主要形勢可能怎麼樣影響我們慶祝這個節日？

每日都有戰爭和恐怖主義的新聞報道，當中也有地緣政治的緊張局勢，特別是和中國有關的，這都會對香港有著影響，以致疫情後的經濟仍然疲弱，不同行業和專業都出現了明顯的人才短缺情況。最令人心碎的是，青少年自毀行為的個案有所上升——這一切相加起來，便給人帶來無動力、甚至灰鬰的情緒，沒信心美好前景快將來臨。那為甚麼我們要慶祝？

「在黑暗中行走的百姓看見了一道皓光，光輝已射在那寄居在漆黑之地的人們身上。」（依撒意亞先知書九1）

聖誕節是慶祝天主對世人永恆大愛和忠信相伴的承諾，這承諾實現在這位新生嬰孩、即是厄瑪奴耳（意思是天主與我們一起），和耶穌（意思是救世主）身上。這承諾不只為2000 多年前的人而作出，而是每年當我們慶祝聖誕節時，這承諾都會再次被肯定。

不論我們是否基督徒，這承諾在我們身處黑暗時為我們帶來光明，在我們悲傷時給我們帶來喜樂。真正的愛不為歷史、宗教、文化、政治或經濟劃下界限。任何人只要是希望慶祝生命，相信神聖會介入脆弱的現實環境，那麼聖誕節就是深切喜樂的因由。

過去一個多世紀以來，香港都有慶祝聖誕節，而天主子為我們先祖降生的事實，至今亦然。自開始以來，厄瑪奴耳永恒忠信的陪伴和耶穌大愛的奇蹟就從未間斷，為非基督徒也如此。然而，這些奇蹟的效果為真實的信徒來說，應該更加明顯。

那麼，我們是否都準備好去慶祝那聖誕的奇蹟？它能夠從虛耗生命的現實中驅除黑暗和疑慮。更者，我們是否願意成為這奇蹟的中介，即是，成為那些需要陪伴的人的忠信夥伴，為期待被愛肯定的人付出無條件的愛？

「（她）便生了她的頭胎男兒，用襁褓裹起，放在馬槽裡，因為在客棧中為他們沒有地方。」（路加福音二7）

當耶穌聖嬰將要降生的時候，人們還沒準備好去迎接他。他們忙於招呼其他客人，那些他們認為更值得用時間和空間去接待的人。因此，他的誕生在馬槽裡，為新生嬰孩來說已是最不恰當的地方，更不用說為天主子了。人們的內心沒有為他預留時間和空間。

當我們的心對愛的源頭封閉起來時，便無法經驗這愛，即使它是為我們而來。當我們不關心別人時、特別是那些在社會或經濟邊緣掙扎的人，其實就是我們在判處大家要承受更長時間的苦。如果我們能為在掙扎中的人、特別是青少年和長者，騰出時間和空間，光明和喜樂也會隨之而來。

我們的社會需要提升具同理心的體諒、寬容和寬恕的文化。沒有人可以斷言自己將來不會渴望得到別人的體諒和寬恕。當建立了具同理心和慈悲的文化時，我們就能夠開始相互陪伴，攜手前行 —— 特別是與我們的青少年一起行。

我們也要讓教育工作者有時間、空間和精力去陪伴青少年。陪伴同行需要時間、內在空間、並且要不帶批判地聆聽對方的困境。但若果教育工作者被種種工作職務纏擾，即使他們想學習如何最好地陪伴學生，也只變得有心無力。請大家明白，陪伴為青少年、以至我們自己，是很有價值的聖誕禮物。因為聖誕的核心禮物，就是天主對全人類和受造界以堅定不移的愛情委身相伴。

當然，我們要感謝宗教團體和社會機構、包括政府，以至不少個別人士，他們一直在幕後努力著，幫助近年違法的青年，讓他們重新融入社會，並透過各種方式讓他們的人生繼續向前走。但仍有很多人在等待這種具希望的待遇。此外，還有一些人士特別著力去陪伴那些易受傷害的長者，長者是自殺率最高的年齡組別。

在香港的朋友們，請相信：我們值得得到比目前所有的更好。但我們必須起行，不要自憐，要離開局限著我們的安舒區，跟隨聖誕的光芒，去獲取聖誕節核心的禮物。讓我們把聖誕的光輝反射開去，把光帶給那些在黑暗中掙扎的人們。

祝大家聖誕蒙福，2024年更具智慧地面對一切快樂與挑戰！

＋ 周守仁樞機

天主教香港教區主教

As Hong Kong and most parts of the world are psyched up for the celebration of the Christmas festivities, what are the dominant outlooks that may colour our capacity to celebrate?

There is news of wars and terrorism continuing in daily news, geopolitical tensions concerning China in particular, which have bearings on Hong Kong, a slack post-pandemic economy, noticeable labour shortages in various industries and professions, and, most heartbreaking, the rising numbers of young people engaging in self-destructive behaviours—all these, when added up, can contribute to a flat and even darkened spirit, lacking confidence of a brighter future anytime sooner. Then why should we celebrate?

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light has shone” (Isaiah 9:1).

Christmas is the celebration of God’s promise of eternal love and faithful companionship for all being fulfilled in this newborn baby, Emmanuel, i.e., God-is-with-us, and Jesus, i.e., the Lord is salvation. This promise was not only for those people more than 2000 years ago, but each time we celebrate Christmas, the promise is re-affirmed.

This promise should give us light in our darkness and joy in our sorrows, regardless of whether we are Christians or not. Real love knows no boundaries of histories, religions, cultures, politics, or economies. Christmas is the cause of deep joy for anyone who wants to celebrate life and have hope in the divine intervention in a frail reality.

Hong Kong is certainly a place where Christmas has been celebrated for over a century, while the reality of the Son of God being born for our ancestors up to this point in time is always the case. The miracles of the ever-faithful companionship of Emmanuel and the love of Jesus have never ceased since, even for all those who are non-Christians. However, the effects of these miracles should be more pronounced for true believers.

So, are we ready to celebrate the miracles of Christmas that dispels darkness and doubts in the life-draining reality? Furthermore, are we willing to become agents of those miracles, i.e., to be faithful companions to those who need accompaniment and unconditional love for those who would appreciate loving affirmation?

“ And she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).

People at the time of this baby Jesus’ imminent coming were not ready to host him. They were occupied with other guests whom they deemed more worthy of their time and space. That was why he was born in a manger, a most unseemly space for any human newborn, not to mention the Son of God. People’s hearts had no time or space for him.

When our hearts are closed to the source of Love, we cannot experience it either, even though it is offered to us. And when our hearts are uncaring for others, especially those who are struggling on the social or economic margins, we are condemning each other to prolonged suffering. But if we can make the time and space for them, especially our young people and the elderly, light and joy can come in as well.

Our society needs to strengthen a culture of empathic understanding, tolerance, and forgiveness. No one can be certain that she or he will not become the yearning recipient of empathy and forgiveness in the future. For when there is an established culture of empathy and compassion, we can start accompanying and moving forward with each other— especially with our young people.

We must also allow our educators to have time, space and energy to accompany them. Walking with each other requires time, inner space, and non-judgmental listening of each other’s plights. But if our educators are already overwhelmed by the different job-related requirements, they cannot be in a position to learn how best to accompany their students, even if they want to do so. But this will be a worthy Christmas gift for our young people and ourselves as the essential gifts of Christmas are God’s committed companionship and unfailing love for all humanity and Creation.

Indeed, we can be thankful to individuals and groups of religious or social institutions, including the government, which have been working behind the scenes helping young people, who have violated the laws in recent years, reintegrate into our society and move ahead with their lives through various means. But more are still waiting to receive such hope-filled treatments. There are also those who make special efforts in accompanying vulnerable elderlies, an age group that holds the highest suicidal rate.

My friends in Hong Kong, do have confidence in our worthiness for something much better than what we are experiencing. But we must get up, leave our limiting comfort zones, stop feeling sorry for ourselves, and follow the light of Christmas to attain the essential gifts of Christmas. Let us be the ones who reflect the light of Christmas to those struggling in their darkness.

I pray that we will enjoy a blessed Christmas. May we be endowed with wisdom to face all sorts of joys and challenges in 2024!

+ Cardinal Stephen Chow, S.J. Bishop of Hong Kong