Christmas
and New Year Message 2014
President of Ireland, Michael D.
Higgins
As President of Ireland, may I
offer my warmest wishes for Christmas and the New Year to everyone in Ireland,
and to all of our Irish abroad, those who assist them, and the communities that
have welcomed them.
Christmas is a season of joy and
warmth. It is a special time of the year, when so many of us come together with
family and friends in a spirit of sharing and celebration. It is an opportunity
to revive hope and anticipation, which can encourage us, including those who
may be feeling distressed or lonely, to look beyond the long dark nights, to the
promise once again, of the dawning light of Spring.
The story of Bethlehem, of the
homeless Joseph and Mary anticipating the birth of their child, is at the heart
of this holiday and it invites us to reflect on how we relate to the stranger,
the vulnerable in our midst. At Christmas we are reminded, not only of how a
man and a woman had to leave their familiar surroundings and have their child
in a strange place, of how they were joined by unknown shepherds and visitors
from faraway lands, but most importantly, of the empowering ethic of
hospitality.
I completed, last month, a
three-week visit to Africa, where I witnessed first-hand the impressive
solidarity of countries such as Ethiopia in responding to the predicament of so
many men, women and children from neighbouring countries who were forced to
leave behind their homes, communities and livelihoods to seek refuge in their
neighbour’s territory. Such willingness to offer shelter to those fleeing
persecution or hunger is an issue that should involve us all, and not just the
countries first affected.
Christmas is a season of peace, a
time to recall all that can be achieved through reflection, forgiveness and
reconciliation. Earlier this year, I had the great honour of being Ireland’s
first Head of State to pay a State Visit to our nearest neighbour in every
sense, the United Kingdom. It was an immense privilege and pleasure to be thus
able to manifest the friendship between our two peoples, who no longer “look at
each other with doubtful eyes”, but, rather, with the trustful eyes of mutual
respect and shared commitments.
As a New Year approaches, and we
continue our lives together, may I offer our appreciation to all who make that
possible. I know that a commitment to the service of our citizens is shared by
all those with a public service mission. May I, on behalf of the Irish people,
thank in particular those who are caring for our communities during the holiday
season – including the staff in our hospitals and emergency services, An Garda
Síochána, and members of our Defence Forces who are supporting peace abroad.
My wish is that 2015 will bring
our people a bounty of opportunities for flourishing and renewal. May the
caring spirit that infuses these precious few days spent in the company of
those we love extend to all and well beyond the Christmas holiday, into the
year ahead.
Sabina and I wish each and every
one of you a very happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year. |
|微社区|手机版|Archiver|英语口译 ( 渝ICP备10012431号-2 )
GMT+8, 2014-12-24 16:49 , Processed in 0.083626 second(s), 26 queries , Gzip On.