Beloved Guanellian Family!
As Advent unfolds before us, the world that longs for meaning waits again for the gentle cry of a Child in Bethlehem. In that manger, God enters in history not with power, but with profound tenderness. He comes not to condemn, but to accompany; not to frighten, but to heal; not to reign from a throne, but from the fragile embrace of a Mother.
Advent is the season when God reveals the hope that does not disappoint (Rom 5:5).
“The Light that first broke the darkness over Bethlehem continues to shine in every compassionate gesture, every act of forgiveness, and every step toward unity.”
This time of grace urges us to forgive generously and rebuild the spiritual bridges that may have crumbled in our relationships. The Prince of Peace cannot be born in hearts still chained by resentment. Our Founder, St. Louis Guanella, echoed this truth in his life of charity: mercy is the most divine face of love. When we forgive, Providence flows freely again through our hearts in our communities.
Advent is also the hour of sharing of bread, of time, of compassion, of presence. God became poor so that no poor person would be without dignity.
The least, the abandoned, the elderly, the differently-abled are the sacred Bethlehem entrusted to our hands. Every Guanellian home must become a sanctuary where the weak feel strong and the forgotten feel loved.
On December 19th, as we celebrate the 183rd birthday of St. Louis Guanella, we remember a man who allowed God's dream to pass through his heart into the world. His passion for the poor is Christ's own heart beating within the Church. Today, his charism calls us anew to be fearless in charity and creative in hope.
In this wounded world scared by wars, violence, and indifference, Advent becomes a global cry:
The Lord calls us to recognize one another as brothers and sisters journeying toward the same light. Our mission is to be artisans of communion, prophets of consolation, and companions of the broken.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us walk together as pilgrims of Providence, trusting that every small act of love writes a new chapter in the history of salvation. May the Child Jesus find a warm dwelling in our simplicity and a wide space in our hearts. With prayerful wishes for a blessed Advent and a Christmas filled with His abiding peace.
Read about these events and more in the latest issue of NEWS and VIEWS.
Fr. Gnanaraj, SdC
Provincial Superior
In all things, LOVE!
Making Charity the Heart of the World!
