No room for cold hearts this Christmas
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas 2025, Trocaire’s annual Appeal soberly reminds us that this year more than 473 million children, over one in six children globally, currently live in areas of the world affected by armed conflict.
Staggering statistics like that can wash over us which is why aid agencies often focus on individual stories to try and cut through the growing fog of indifference that is afflicting the more prosperous and peaceful parts of the world.
Even Pope Leo in his first letter to all Christians on love for the poor Dilexi Te chose a recent tragedy to highlight the current crisis of compassion when he recalled, A few years ago, the photo of a lifeless child lying on a Mediterranean beach caused an uproar; unfortunately, apart from some momentary outcry, similar events are becoming increasingly irrelevant and seen as marginal news items. (DT 11).
The baby Jesus was born in a place of conflict among an occupied people and was soon a target for elimination by a paranoid King Herod. Not far from Bethlehem and in Gaza thousands of children have died this year through acts of war or deliberate starvation and withholding of vital medicines.
In our own country missing and murdered children have also been in the headlines. The lack of outrage and compassion at what has been happening to children and what continues to happen should shock all of us.
As we listen to the Gospel of Matthew through this church year we should bear in mind the words of the same Jesus that in the end times because of the growth of wickedness ‘men’s hearts will grow cold,’ (Mt 24:12). The innkeepers had no room for the pregnant Mary in Bethlehem.
There should be no room for complacency in the hearts of Christians this Advent or Christmas time when it comes to the plight of children living in conflict. It is a time to help and speak out.
Paul Clayton-Lea
Editor
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Official Jubilee page on CatholicBishops.ie.