Christians in the UAE were urged to be bearers of light and to promote healing, hope and reconciliation that would erase the darkness in a world divided by war and conflict, in Christmas sermons held on Wednesday.
Tens of thousands of Christians across the Emirates streamed into churches and gathered with family and friends to be part of Christmas Day services. Pews filled up quickly in churches across the country on Wednesday, for services in many languages including English, Arabic, Hindi and Tagalog.
In Abu Dhabi, St Joseph's Cathedral was full and many people had to be ushered into the compound yard to watch the Christmas service on screens. Families and friends bowed their heads and recited prayers in unison. They posed for photographs near Christmas trees decorated with bright lights.
Message of reconciliation
Bishop Paolo Martinelli of St Joseph's Cathedral called on thousands of worshippers to be “the children of the light.” About 75,000 faithful were expected to come in to pray at the country’s oldest church through Christmas Day.
“If we welcome Jesus into our lives, we will be children of the light, workers of peace and reconciliation, rebuilders and healers of wounded humanity,” said Bishop Martinelli, who heads the Catholic Vicariate of southern Arabia covering the UAE, Oman and Yemen.
“This is the task that we must live first of all in our families and in our communities. Let us emerge from the darkness of conflicts, divisions and vested interests. The world needs peace but peace begins with each of us, it begins with our heart reconciled with God.”
The Bishop cautioned against allowing war, conflicts, divisions and darkness to consume lives and hearts.
“There is so much darkness in the world, there are conflicts, wars and there is so much of division among people. There are divisions in families. The world seems to be in darkness,” he said. “We must shine in the darkness. We are called to be witnesses of the positive meaning of life.”
At St Paul’s in Mussaffah, Abu Dhabi’s second Catholic church, Maria Cardoso prayed for her teenage son and family in the Philippines.
“I pray that in every major decision and trial in life, my family is guided by God and prayer,” said Ms Cardoso, 46, a contracts engineer who has worked in the UAE for 17 years. “We don’t have family around to be with so the church becomes our big community. I also pray that the world leaders will seek unity and peace and not just economic success for their own countries so there can be quiet in the world.”
Dubai resident Alicia Manj, 52, queued up early for a space at St Mary’s church in Dubai, which became crowded with tens of thousands worshippers.
She bowed her head and recited hymns with a group of hotel colleagues from India and Sri Lanka, one cradled a three-month old infant the family had brought for blessings.
“This is the most special time for us as we think about the past year and what we can do better,” she said. “I have a baby granddaughter I will see for the first time next month when I return home to India. Plus I have the chance to celebrate my colleague's baby. Good health, safety, security and peace for all is all I always pray for."
Take time to listen
Rev Jim Young, vicar at the Anglican Christ Church in Dubai’s Jebel Ali district, also touched on the message of peace and asked about 800 worshippers to allow the power of God’s words to transform people.He reminded the tightly knit congregation to take the time to listen and remember the essentials of faith even when immersed in their busy, hectic lives.
Rev Young said this would allow them to absorb the true meaning of the Christmas season by experiencing the love of God, “in the forgiveness we offer, in the food we freely give to the hungry, in the hope we proclaim".
In Ras Al Khaimah, people gathered around Christmas trees and a nativity scene surrounded with candles. Fr Kent Middleton, the parish priest of St Luke's Anglican Church asked worshippers to celebrate the gifts of love and grace that the holy season brings.
He spoke of the need to open hearts, live with kindness and compassion and share the message of peace, love and goodwill. “The light of Christ overpowers the darkness,” Fr Middleton said. “May we through word and deed, through the lives that we live be a reflection of that light, the bearers of hope and joy.”
