After a period of growing anticipation, nine months following the Annunciation, begins the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord, more commonly known as Christmas, during which Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and his long-awaited Advent.
For centuries, the faithful had prayed for the coming of the promised Anointed One. In the fullness of time, those prayers were to be fulfilled in the city of David. During the Roman occupation of Israel, to comply with the government decree that ‘all the world should be taxed,
’ Joseph and Mary of Nazareth travelled to his ancestral hometown, Bethlehem of Judah, where she gave birth to a son.
As the prophet Isaiah records, ‘Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
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For all Canadians, this important holiday provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on the importance of faith, hope, prayer, and the tremendous contributions that Christians of diverse backgrounds have made to our country’s rich and beautiful heritage.
During this season of joy and goodwill, as Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, I want to wish you and your family a merry and blessed Christmas.
