Being human is OK, said Bishop William K. Weigand of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City and Utah in his annual Christmas message.
The complete message follows:"The good news of Christmas is that it's OK to be human. God himself has become man, has entered fully into our human frailty. In Christ, God has come to meet us and be with us in all the inadequacies and brokenness of human life. By joining us where we are, as we are, Jesus ennobles our littleness, elevates our humbleness. Jesus shows how God loves us, smiles upon us - in spite of our faults and struggles.
"I think this is very good news! So we can relax. We can cease trying to prove ourselves, cease competing so hard. We can accept ourselves - and one another. We can stop demanding of ourselves - and of others - what we are not, what we cannot. We can appreciate people better and enjoy life more deeply. In short, we can both receive and pass on to others God's love and affirmation.
"Christmas challenges us to meet Jesus in the manger of Bethlehem, in the `nitty gritty' of our often `messy' human condition. We need not wait first to become more perfect. We can seize the grace and discover Jesus already present in the `manger' of our hearts. We can claim the Christmas vision that finds Jesus' love already at work in our families, in our neighborhoods and schools, in our places of work. Would that we would honor Jesus there. Would that we would reverence Jesus in the poor and vulnerable, too. Would that we would strive to serve Jesus in one another.
"The true Christmas spirit is a reflection of God and God's way. May we grasp this spirit and keep it for every day - not just for Christmas. That is what we need. Merry Christmas to those who feel burdened by the human condition. Merry Christmas to one and all."