Call to heed 'lonely and isolated'

The Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Neill, has called on people to notice those for whom Christmas has become a lonely and frightening time.

In his Christmas message, the archbishop said: "Too much rushing about, too much hectic enjoyment and too many parties leave little room for worship and thought, and far too little time to notice those feeling lonely and isolated.

"The story of Bethlehem has implications for the materialism of many of our values, and for attitudes based on power and self-interest," he said.

"We cannot but be aware of the intensity of emotions all around, many of joyful expectation, but some of sad nostalgia, and yet others of loneliness and even of fear.

"Ordinary day-to-day life seems to stand still for at least a week and leaves some feeling quite adrift. We need to watch out for those feeling very vulnerable at this time of the year."

He said that, in a positive way, Christmas should make us all feel a bit vulnerable.

"The Christmas story is about God interrupting life in a very dramatic way, though it was only a small number of people that grasped even something of the mystery that was unfolding," he said.

The archbishop highlighted the responses to the birth of Christ, saying that they varied from "wonder to worship, from the presentation of gifts to the slaughter of innocent children".

"Awe and antagonism each represent some awareness of the implications of God entering the human arena in Jesus of Nazareth," he said.

He also said that in Jesus, God offers "the transformation of all of life through his presence with us and in us" and it would be worthwhile if people were to use the Christmas break to reflect on where their lives are going.

"It is worth taking time this Christmas to make space for God to interrupt life, and taking time to notice those for whom Christmas has become a lonely and frightening period of the year," he said.