General

Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith of Colombo has urged Sri Lankans to celebrate this Christmas simply and avoid extravagance. In his Christmas Day message, he emphasized the importance of sharing the joy of the season with the less fortunate and those affected by recent disasters. In his message for Christmas Day 2025, Cardinal Ranjith reflected on the significance of the holiday: “We are celebrating Christmas again, a joyful time when we remember the birth of Jesus Christ, a key moment in human history. It is a happy occasion, but I ask you to think deeply about what this Christmas means. The stories in the Gospel tell us that Jesus was born in very humble circumstances. Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem to register for a census ordered by the emperor. They were essentially migrants in that area. When they arrived in Bethlehem, they could not find a place to stay, so they took refuge in a cold, rocky grotto on that chilly night. Shepherds in the valley were watching over their sheep. Guided by a star, they came to the grotto after hearing the good news that the Savior had been born. The Savior awaited by the people of Israel had arrived. They rushed to see Him and found Jesus surrounded by poor shepherds in the cold grotto. This story shows how Jesus chose to be born in the simplest way among people. The Son of God, the Almighty’s only son, was born poor and vulnerable. Therefore, the celebration of Christmas is a deeply spiritual event that we should be aware of. We must try to reflect the values shown in His birth by being humble in our celebrations. This Christmas, especially after the recent cyclonic storm that has affected Sri Lanka, leaving two million people homeless and taking nearly a thousand lives, we Christians cannot ignore those in need and celebrate selfishly. We need to share this Christmas with the poor. Let us be humble in how we celebrate, avoid extravagance, and not scandalize the poor. We should share what we have, allowing us to truly experience the birth of the Lord in the way it originally happened. Our Christmas cribs should not just be decorations in our homes or churches, but should represent a real welcome for Jesus among us. I hope you celebrate Christmas by giving, sharing, and being humble so that you can bring happiness to others. I wish for all of you to be good examples of following Jesus and to have a very happy and holy Christmas.”