The political context of Christmas 2010

In these extracts from his Christmas message, Bishop Michael Burrows of Cashel and Ossary points to the context of Christmas 2010 in Ireland.

“Every time the story of Christmas is told and retold it happens in a specific political and historical context. It brings the hope of peace in times of war,  a recall to deeper priorities in times of prosperity, a message of God’s empathy with the poor at times of shortage. And so it is that this year in Ireland we hear again the message of the angels and in heart and mind go to Bethlehem at a moment of economic meltdown and great political uncertainty. Just a few years ago we proclaimed the Christmas Gospel in a context of considerable wealth and affluence. And – rightly – we expect the story of this season to illuminate our situation in both contexts...”

“There will be less money to spend this year and many reasons to be downcast. Yet, as well as its annual moment of genuine jollity in the depths of winter, Christmas brings hope because it makes those who think they control the world stand anew in the presence of values that will triumph and endure long after the politicians of a particular generation have been forgotten. At Christmas the political world, in respect for the baby of Bethlehem, holds a kind of annual truce from its normal squabbles and clashes, and lets the untarnished light of integrity and truth shine forth from the stable. Again for a day bruised humanity sees a vision of what it should be capable of becoming.

This message is not meant to be a cheap attack on politicians – far from it. More than most they deserve our prayers and I have always striven to take a high view of the political vocation. But just as the first Christmas shed its light in an unpromising political context, so too must this one. So, daring to paraphrase Scripture, I would want to assert – ‘In the year of grace 2010, when Mary McAleese was President of Ireland, Brian Cowan was Taoiseach and Mary Coughlan Tanaiste, the light of Christmas shone in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it’.”