In communion with him was the archbishop of Vrhbosna in peace, cardinal Vinko Puljić, and about 15 priests concelebrated, including the provincial of the Franciscan Province of Bosna Srebrena, OFM Zdravko Dadić.

At the beginning, Archbishop Vukšić greeted those present in the cathedral and those who followed the Holy Mass through the television program BHT1 and the radio waves, and wished everyone a Merry Christmas. “At the beginning of this Eucharistic celebration of the new-born Lord, we pray to bless us today and in every day of our lives. We ask that according to his mercy, he forgives us all our weaknesses, that he frees our souls and consciences from the burden of sin so that we can celebrate this Holy Mass in a worthy way”, said Msgr. Vukšić.

Two arrivals of Jesus

In an appropriate sermon entitled Jesus is still looking for accommodation, Msgr. Vukšić first explained that every year Christian believers joyfully prepare to solemnly celebrate Christmas and noted that, in a series of revelations of the meaning of that holiday, believers try, in addition to remembering the birth of Jesus, to recognize as contemporary at least one of the messages of this holiday and, following Jesus' example, actualize it.

“Christmas is a holiday by which Christians remember the human birth of the Holy Child, and they prepare for this holiday during the period of Advent. However, in addition to commemorating the birth of the Son of God, it is important to recognize that throughout the period of Advent, Christ's future 'birth' is also announced, i.e. His coming according to the promise we repeat in the Apostle’s Creed that He will come in glory at the end of time and judge the living and the dead and that His kingdom will have no end. In this sense the whole human life is a 'long arrival' whose purpose is to prepare for that future glorious coming of Christ”, said the archbishop and underlined that Christmas simultaneously reminds of two arrivals of Jesus: the physical birth and the future glorious “birth” in which human life finds its purpose, final design and justification.

“In the period between the two arrivals of Jesus Christ among people, there is also a third way of his 'birth'. Every Christian is called to live Christmas so that Jesus is born in his heart, conscience and action and settles in his life. That man allow God to correct his thinking and bring his behaviour into line with God's rules. This way of Jesus' birth is usually called spiritual”, he emphasized and added that, while the first two arrivals of Jesus are the fruit of God's mercy and goodness, and do not depend on man's will at all, the spiritual arrival of Jesus in every human life depends on human consent, availability and cooperation.

What is the teaching of Jesus?

He further spoke about the fact that the evangelist Matthew recorded a parable about Jesus' glorious arrival at the end of time: “When the Son of Man comes in glory, and all his angels with him, he will sit on the throne of his glory. And all nations will be gathered before him, and he will distinguish them one from the other (...) Then the king will say to those on his right: ‘Come, blessed of my Father! Receive as your inheritance the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world! For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you received me; naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me.’ (...) ‘Truly, I say to you, whatever you did to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did to me!’(...) Then he will say to those on the left: ’Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels! For I was hungry and you did not give me food; I was thirsty and you did not give me drink; I was a stranger and you did not receive me; naked and you did not clothe me; sick and in prison and you did not visit me!’ (...) ‘'Truly, I say to you, whatever you did not do to one of the least of these, you did not do to me.’”

He then explained that many hungry, thirsty, foreigners, naked, sick, unemployed, homeless, migrants, exiles and slaves of various kinds are still looking for a “housing place”, that is, a solution to their troubles. “And whenever they knock on our door with their needs and we receive them and help as much as we can, we also received Jesus. That is the teaching of Jesus! And vice versa, if we reject people in need, God forbid, we sent a message to Jesus that there is no place for him again in our home”, encouraged Msgr. Vukšić, who also reminded, among other things, that there are about 60 public kitchens and similar institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina that offer this kind of help and that as many as 17 000 people are fed in them. He underlined that at the same time, around 140 000 tons of food, which could be used to make 280 million meals, are destroyed annually.

“In this sense, Jesus again gives a serious message and warns with concern: 'Truly, I say to you, whatever you did to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did to me!'”, said the archbishop of Vrhobosna at the end of the homily, wishing “that with this call and with the desire that Jesus will be born in us and live forever in our home”, with which he wished everyone a Merry Christmas.

The liturgical celebration with harmonious singing and playing was animated by the Cathedral Mixed Choir Josip Stadler under the direction of rev. Marko Stanušić, regens chori of the cathedral.