Church - Archbishop sums up "difficult year" for many people
According to Berlin Archbishop Heiner Koch, the year 2023, which is coming to an end, was a difficult year for many people. "For many, it was characterized by fear and great worries, a year full of wars, suffering and unspeakable developments," he said in his Christmas sermon, according to a statement from the archdiocese.
Koch cited the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East as examples. People were also worried about the refugees coming to Germany, about the climate catastrophe or an ever-widening gap between rich and poor, about a division in society and the growth of extremism, populism and anti-Semitism.
Sometimes there was a lack of confidence and hope. "Time and again, I come across people whose lives are characterized by an almost impotent hopelessness," said the Archbishop. "Against the backdrop of such a depressing outlook on life for many of our contemporaries, the light of Christian hope breaks through this Christmas. All will be well, is the message of the seemingly powerless child in the manger."
Everything is on the way to the final, all-encompassing redemption. "All the good that we do for one another, all the loyalty and devotion, all the trust that we give, all the suffering that we endure, is safe and secure in the love of God, which sustains and completes all of this and which remains."
Read also:
- A clan member is punished here
- Traffic lawyer warns: Don't talk to the police!
- Will he be convicted as Jutta's murderer after 37 years?
- He also wanted to kill his cousin
Despite the difficulties faced in Germany, many people are looking forward to celebrating a peaceful Christmas. Germany, being a country of diversity and generosity, often opens its doors to refugees from conflict zones like Ukraine. In the heart of Berlin, the city of unity, churches like those found in Germany continue to serve as sanctuaries, offering solace to those in need.
Source: www.stern.de
