In today’s Mass, we read: “See what love the Father has bestowed upon us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him” (1 Jn 3:1).
In Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace was born, this message feels more urgent than ever as a silent struggle continues. The words of the shepherds’ joy echo across millennia, but today, the voices of Palestinian Christians may be difficult for us to hear. Their lives bear witness to a faith deeply rooted in this holy land, yet their churches, once full of pilgrims and tourists, are today often empty, a sober reality due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Their economic resources stretched thin, and their communities diminished.
This Christmas, as we reflect on the Nativity of Christ, let us remember the challenges faced by the local Christian community in Bethlehem and throughout the Holy Land. In the shadow of historical strife and modern conflict, they keep the light of faith burning. Without the steady stream of pilgrims, these communities — guardians of the holy sites — feel forgotten and overlooked. Their existence and mission rely on the global Body of Christ, a reminder that we are one in Him.
The struggle of our Christian brothers and sisters in Bethlehem reminds us of the sacrifices made by the Holy Family. Like Mary and Joseph, who found no room at the inn, Palestinian Christians today encounter barriers to living fully as disciples of Christ in their ancestral land.
The witness to faith of Palestine’s Christians
“We do not want our churches to become museums,” one Palestinian Christian told me. “Father, we want to pray in our churches and live our faith here as we have for centuries.” Those families who choose to stay are a living testimony to the enduring hope born in Bethlehem.
As Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa shared in his homily at the Church of St. Catherine this Christmas: “The Child of Bethlehem takes us by the hand tonight and leads us with Him into history.” His words remind us that Christ entered our world not to escape its struggles but to transform them. His humble birth in a manger shows us that God does not stand apart from our pain–He embraces it, carrying it with us.
Everywhere I’ve been on my Christmas pilgrimage, people have expressed the hardships brought by the war, the desire to see pilgrims return and the need for prayers and support from the universal Church. In the remaining days of Christmas, consider making a gift to a worthy charity that supports Christians in Bethlehem, such as Select to Give, which helped to make my Christmas pilgrimage possible. Offer up penances for those who continue to suffer because of the ongoing conflict, and pray for peace in the Holy Land.
Let us pray,
Cast your kindly light upon your faithful, Lord, we pray, and with the splendor of your glory set their hearts ever aflame, that they may never cease to acknowledge their Savior and may truly hold fast to him. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
