As I bring you this greeting for the upcoming Christmas season, I have just arrived back home from the blessing of our new SVD house in Myanmar.

In my comments of thanksgiving on that occasion, I was moved to reflect on the incarnational aspect of the birth of this new missionary endeavour.

While reflecting briefly on the initial negotiations with Cardinal Charles Bo two-and-a-half years ago, I referred to the mystery of the Incarnation, where, in the beginning was the Word, with the intention that the Word would become flesh. The Myanmar project too, started with words, but eventually became flesh.

And now that we have a team of SVD missionaries there in the flesh in Myanmar, serving the people in their need, the fruits of the Incarnation of Our Lord at Christmas continue to be born.

Jesus came to us that first Christmas as a little baby. He came to us as one of us – God-with-us.

When we acknowledge that, and allow God to dwell in us, we ourselves become Incarnational beings. We, who have met the baby in the manger and the crucified Saviour outside the empty tomb, and have accepted him into our hearts and lives, become incarnational for others. We are Christ-bearers. And, in so far as we share the love of Christ with others, especially the poor or the forgotten, the life-changing, world-changing power of the Incarnation continues to unfold.

This Christmas season, I pray that you and your family will receive the Incarnation into your lives and be that Incarnation for others.

I take this opportunity to thank you, the readers of In the Word, our friends and partners in mission, for all your support in 2018.

We cannot do the things we do or serve the people we serve without you.

May you and your family have a blessed Christmas and a restful summer holiday period.

Yours in the Word,

Fr Henry Adler

SVD Provincial