“I wish all those who will receive this message the peace that Jesus Christ brought, coming to this world, with his birth. The traditional Christmas message that I usually send before the solemnity of Christmas can have no other theme than that of peace, at the end of a year marked by the sad war, which is marring the beautiful face of our Europe with deep scars. While the world powers are trying to assess the consequences of Russia’s war in Ukraine and look for concrete ways to resolve the conflict, the world economy is suffering its effects with the further impoverishment of the poorest classes; the countries of Eastern Europe, including Albania, feel it in a special way”, Massafra said in his message.

Massafra said that “the words that have been used so far, including those of Pope Francis, are not enough to describe the seriousness of the phenomenon of war in all aspects, including moral ones: every war is always wrong, because it damages both the dignity of those who injure and kill, as well as those who are injured and killed, without counting catastrophic damage to the environment! But there is a solution, which only those who do not want, fail to see: accepting Christ as the “Prince of Peace.”

Therefore, he continued, we cannot call ourselves true peacemakers just because we hate war.

“How many wars are raging on every day within us and around us? Is it not a war the inability to forgive the insults received, the blood feud and murder that still continues in our country, the lack of communication within families that leads to hatred and the breakdown of family ties, the rejection of newborn life or the neglect of the elderly, frauds to the detriment of the state or criminal organizations that kill for interest? Isn’t the planting and trafficking of drugs the cause of war and killings? Isn’t disregard for human rights, the rights of workers, the rights of the sick (without asking for and claiming benefits!), of the common good, of our common home, which is the created world, a war? These are some of the areas where each of us can bring peace, but on the condition that we are first at peace within. Conscience is at peace when it knows that it is doing what is right, when it knows that it is avoiding every form of private or public evil, when it does not refuse to do what is right through negligence or fear. Yes, even not doing good can cause injustice, which inevitably lead to conflicts,”Massafra said.

Therefore, Massafra said, I appeal to everyone’s heart and good will to make peace.
/sm/