Catholics reflect on candle of love

By ZARA KANU LEBO
THE St Joseph’s Catholic community at East Boroko, National Capital District, celebrated Christmas evening with a Carols by Candlelight mass reflecting on the “candle of love” theme.
Church members each brought a candle and sang in unison with the combined choir group that led the mass.
The vigil (night mass) that followed was focused on the teachings of love and peace, which were reflections of the Christ Child in all humans on the day he was born that was now celebrated the world over.
Celebrant Fr John Anthony Curtis said “tonight’s mass is a great song of the ever-lasting love of God revealed in His covenant (love pact) with His people.
“In the Good News, we hear a nice song that is within us, and He has revealed Himself to us through His love with nothing hidden, through Mary of Nazareth who is the birth mother of Jesus.
“The Lord Jesus’ coming was foretold by the prophet Isaiah when he proclaimed: ‘The maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a Son whom we will call Emmanuel, a name which means God within us’.
“At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our time, the last days, He has spoken to us through His Son, since His birth to His death and ascension to Heaven,” John said. “We must seek Him to put into our hearts the perfect peace for which some of us seek desperately and which you alone can give.
“We must help each other to know one another better, and live as brothers and sisters and children of the Father.
“During this time, we ask Him to reveal to us His beauty, holiness and love and awaken in our hearts the love and gratitude for our goodness.
“At this time, as we celebrate on the birth of Christ and the message on love, we also reflect on and pray for all those who are sick, and for those grieving loved ones who have passed on, may our Lord give them healing, strength and comfort,” he said.