Let us hasten like the shepherds to Bethlehem,
let us pause in adoration in the cave,
and gaze upon the Newborn Redeemer.
In him we can recognize the face
of every little child who is born,
of whatever race or nation:
the little Palestinian and the little Israeli;
the little American and the little Afghan;
the child of the Hutu and the child of the Tutsi…
whoever the child is, to Christ each one is special.
Today my thoughts go to all the children of the world:
so many, too many are the children
condemned from birth to suffer
through no fault of their own the effects of cruel conflicts.
Let us save the children,
in order to save the hope of humanity!
This is what we are urgently called to do
by that Child born in Bethlehem,
the God who became man,
to give us back the right to hope.
Christmas 2001