Christmas a time for joy, reconciliation, Seychelles' President tells nation

Ramkalawan wished everyone a blessed and Merry Christmas. (State House)

(Seychelles News Agency) - Christmas gives people in Seychelles and around the world an opportunity to share a moment of reconciliation, friendship and love and look at people through new eyes, said Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan.

In his Christmas message on Friday, Ramkalawan wished everyone a blessed and Merry Christmas.

Ramkalawan said that at the base of the relationship between humans and their God, there is the aspiration and profound belief that God is not only the creator but one who loves his children.

"He shares our joy and in our difficulties he gives us encouragement to see the light of each new day as a source of strength and continuity. This is our experience here in Seychelles during this year. For this we thank the almighty God," he said.

"Christmas is a moment of hope. Humanity is celebrating the arrival of Jesus in the world. Christians cheer him as the son of God, the messiah and the redeemer across whom humanity is saved from their sins and live eternally with God," added the President.

He said that God shows the people that "if we forgive our brothers and sisters, embrace his peace, follow the way of truth, light and life, as we let his love become our reality each day, we will build his kingdom here on earth."

"Today we are invited to share the hope of Christmas. May our hearts be reminded that we are celebrating Emmanuel, God is with us. Let us acknowledge that if God is with us, guiding us into walking with him, we will accomplish greatness in our life, in our family, in our community, in our country and in our world," said Ramkalawan.

The head of state of Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, invited everyone to share this moment of hope.

"In the face of anything that may seem obscure to us, let us remain convinced and firm in our belief that with God anything is possible. The only thing he asks of us is to listen to him and walk with him... So let's forget our own way of doing things and replace it with the will of God and we will thus experience a profound transformation, for it is his wisdom and not our human intelligence that will lead us," he added.

Ramkalawan said only a week separates Christmas and the New Year, two important moments in people's lives.

"I pray that the celebration of the birth of Jesus really touches our heart in a profound way and allows us to seek the wisdom of God that will guide us today and in the New Year," he said.