"The true miracle of Christmas is that God is with plain old ordinary us"
Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois recalls Mary's trust and commitment to God in Christmas message
The Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois, Bishop Paul Connell, has reflected on the “startling and profound reality” at the heart of the Christian faith in his Christmas message, saying the true miracle of Christmas is the belief that God chooses to be present with ordinary people in their everyday lives.
In his message, Bishop Connell centred his reflections on Mary’s decision to trust God, describing her as a teenage girl living in occupied Palestine at a dangerous moment in history who said “yes” to a call she could not fully understand. He said Christianity itself rests on that act of faith and courage.
The bishop noted that Mary accepted her vocation despite the judgement of society and the real risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth, embracing a future with no guarantee of safety for herself or her child.
He pointed to the Magnificat as an expression of her vision, a prayer that speaks of lifting up the humble, filling the hungry with good things, scattering the proud and challenging unjust power.
According to Bishop Connell, reflecting on Mary’s humanity helps Christians rediscover the central meaning of the Incarnation.
He said the miracle of Christmas is not distant or abstract, but the conviction that God is “with us, plain old ordinary us,” present in fears and pain, joys and sorrows, and the small, daily events of life. God, he said, is a faithful companion who does not abandon His people.
As the Jubilee Year of Hope draws to a close, Bishop Connell encouraged reflection on the legacy of faith and practice passed down through generations.
"We reflect on the legacy of faith, hope and practice gifted to us by our parents who in turn received it from their parents. It was something they cherished above everything else, the sense of the presence of God in their daily lives."
Referring to a recent reminder from Pope Leo, the bishop said the central message of the Jubilee Year is that no one should be lost and that all are called to salvation.
"God does not want us or our children to be among the lost. This Christmas as we reflect on the miracle of the Christ Child amongst us, let us recommit ourselves to honouring the presence of God in our lives, to honouring the hope that He brings through the example of faith, belief and practice gifted to us by our parents, and which we too in our turn witness to our children."
He concluded: "Lord we pray that in our celebration of Christmas we may see with the eyes of children, the wonder of your birth, the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds and the worship of the Wise Men. Come Lord Jesus, remain with us always."