The Archbishop of Zagreb, Drazen Kutlesa, called on the faithful during Midnight Mass on Monday to keep their hearts and the way they see life simple and pure and be prepared to step out of their routine, noting that Christmas should be seen as a celebration of humility.

Addressing those gathered for the Christmas Eve Mass at the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac liturgical centre in Zagreb, Kutlesa said that the night of the Saviour’s birth reveals how God “brings His plan to fulfilment, writing the pages of His history amidst noise, wars, turmoil, shining advertisements, and arenas and stages of this world.”

“But God does not reveal Himself according to the logic and expectations of this world, and sometimes not even according to the logic and expectations of religious servants. He reveals Himself by shining light on darkness, encouraging the fearful… taking us out of our routine and opening us to His mystery, as happened to the shepherds on the Holy Night,” he said, calling on the faithful to “keep their hearts and the way they see life simple and pure” and be prepared to “step out of their routine.”

“If sometimes you encounter lack of understanding from church shepherds, let that not deter you… from supporting the Church’s mission, aware that we all have different perspectives, roles and levels of responsibility,” he said, warning against “keeping our faith… restricted only to places and holy times of worship.”

“We hear that from those who are not believers and say that the Church should return to the sacristy… Our answer to ourselves and others should be that what happens in the Church, in the sacraments and prayer, prepares us for what happens in the world,” the dignitary said.