Spiritual energy and Christian roots.

Bishop Fred Henry of Calgary gave one of his recent pastoral letters the subtitle: "It is time to push back." He was referring to the need for Catholics to actively counter the debilitating, soul-destroying, secularist, pagan ideology which, with great arrogance, has invaded our society, including Catholic homes, schools, and parishes, and even houses of religious men and women. The bishop was thinking of suitable political and legal action but he would, no doubt, readily agree that much more is needed.

As Bishop Gilles Cazabon pointed out in his report to Pope Benedict on behalf of the Quebec bishops, it seems "essential that we focus on the core of our faith and centre the whole process on a true experience of Jesus Christ." The Pope and the Canadian bishops are in agreement on that (see article, "Pope Benedict and Canada's bishops in Rome," pp. 11-13, p. 20, in this issue).

As the Holy Father points out, the great "impediments to the spread of Christ's Kingdom are experienced most dramatically in the split between the Gospel and culture, with the exclusion of God from the public sphere ... In the name of tolerance your country has had to endure the folly of the redefinition of marriage, and in the name of 'freedom of choice,' it is confronted with the daily destruction of unborn children."

Christmas is a good time to take stock. The feast is a central part of our faith. It celebrates the most important event in world history: the coming of the Son of God to earth. He came to set us free from the darkness of pagan superstitions, the enslavement to hedonism, the rule of Satan. He brought the gift of faith, the rule of divine grace, the recognition of the dignity and equality in the sight of God of every man, woman and child, utterly unknown until then. His coming was to give meaning not only to human suffering, but to life itself. Instead of surrendering to (the goddesses) Fortune and Fate which ruled a barbaric, decrepit, listless Roman empire, men and women were given a chance to embrace the liberation of a heavenly Kingdom of peace and justice beginning right here on earth.

Today, in Canada, the first thought of a practical nature centres around this feast. Yes to Merry Christmas, no to happy holiday; yes to Christmas cards with religious themes, no to cards with sleighrides [in Ontario] or locomotives in B.C.'s mountains; yes to Christmas plays, carols and cribs in all Catholic schools, no to mother earth celebrations; yes to Christmas trees in public squares, no to holiday trees. Let your voices be heard on radio shows, municipal councils and business boards. Stop shopping with the secularists. Let us push back.

Is this just superficial? No, it is not. One begins where one can. But the next step goes deeper: fight the current culture of living-for-ourselves, embracing material prosperity, ego-gratification, independence, and the obsessive pursuit of physical health, beauty and the latest fashions. How is this to be done?

Do we need something more radical yet? Absolutely. "The attempt to promote a vision of humanity apart from God's transcendent order and indifferent to Christ's beckoning light, removes from the reach of ordinary men and women the experience of genuine hope," the Pope told the Maritime bishops. Preach, he said, "with passion the splendour of the truth of Christ who dispels the darkness ..."

Bishops and Pope agree that what is needed in Canada is to re-awaken spiritual energy by recalling and restoring the memories of our Christian roots. Nothing is more basic than the celebration of the Eucharist. Said Pope Benedict: "The faithful must be convinced that it is vital to take part regularly in Sunday Mass if their faith is to increase and be expressed coherently." This requires re-education on a deep level.

It is for this reason that Cardinal Marc Ouellet is going across Canada on behalf of the International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City in 2008. The teaching will focus on the Eucharistic Mystery as a living memorial of Christ's passion and sacrifice. This is God's gift for the life of the world. True, the non-believers will not be there. Let believers come in large numbers. Meanwhile, reform the world, begin with yourself. Love the Lord in the Eucharist. Merry Christmas to all.

FATHER

ALPHONSE DE VALK, C.S.B.

EDITOR