At Christmas Mass in St Mary’s Pro Cathedral in Dublin, the Archbishop said that alongside men and women of deep faith and commitment there are those who struggle with the very idea of God, because of the harshness of the world and the mystery of evil.
He added that there are those who are angry with God and with the Church or indeed are angry with God because of the Church. “How many times do I hear the phrase: ‘I am just hanging in there by the tips of my fingers’.”
Highlighting that some people want to banish the God, who appears in a crib, off our streets, Dr Martin asked why are people afraid of or unsettled by a God who appears as a defenceless child?
He also expressed concern that some believers would feel happier with “a warrior God who builds ramparts of defence”.
Addressing the Christmas story, Dr Martin said a God who appears as a defenceless child is not “a useless fairy tale” or the angry, arrogant and judgmental God that we might have been taught about in school.
Cold human rationality will not lead us to the God who appears in the birth of Jesus Christ, he said
and added that the message of the birth of Jesus in simplicity and defencelessness helps us to understand that dreams and idealism are possible.
Read full text of Archbishop Martin's homily here.
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