Scottish Catholic Observer

2011 is upon us and for many families this week was about going back to school, returning to work and getting back in to the routine. This all too often seems like a gloomy prospect as it can be difficult to hold onto the good news of Christmas. The ‘dark days of winter’ can indeed, ‘seem to overwhelm us,’ as Cardinal Keith O’Brien said in his New Year message.

And the recent wave of violence against Christians in many places throughout the world reveals that darkness: a very different burning message and a horrific rather than a happy Christmas for victims. On St Stephen’s Day Pope Benedict XVI condemned attacks on churches in Nigeria and the Philippines. It is estimated that 32 people were killed and 74 wounded after a series of Christmas Eve bomb blasts in the Nigerian city of Jos. Six people were also wounded on Christmas Day when a bomb went off in a church during Mass on the Philippine island of Jolo. Then New Year brought further violence against Christians in the form of fatal bombings outside a church in Egypt and again in the already troubled Iraq.

The Holy Father’s message for the World Day of Prayer for Peace flags up that Christians suffer more religious persecution than any other group. “Sadly, the year now ending has again been marked by persecution, discrimination, terrible acts of violence and religious intolerance,” he said in the message released prior to the most recent outbreaks.

Hope, however, shines out of the darkness.

The Holy Father has called a summit of world religious leaders to discuss how they can promote world peace. The meeting is to take place in Assisi, the birthplace of St Francis, in October and marks the 25th anniversary of a similar summit called by Pope John Paul II.

And the greater part of Cardinal O’Brien’s New Year message was about finding hope even in darkness and despair. Just as the trapped Chilean miners did last year and the Haitians who survived a devastating earthquake on January 12, 2010 continue to strive to do.

So if we want to keep Christ in our hearts throughout the winter months and all year, consider creating a new routine of hope and prayer rather than falling back into a hopeless one. It takes resolve, and a conscious effort, but that is what New Year is all about