Archbishop of Glasgow Philip Tartaglia spoke of the "abyss of loss" faced by those who had lost loved ones in Monday's lorry crash, but said "even in the present tragedy, God is with us."
Tartaglia held a mass today at St Andrew's Cathedral, Glasgow for the victims of the crash in the city centre, which killed six people and injured ten others.
"This last day of Advent continues to prepare us for the feast of the birth of the Saviour and we seek the comfort and consolation that only he can bring us," Tartaglia said at the start of the service.
Feeling the inadequacy of his own words of comfort, the Archbishop pointed those gathered at the Cathedral to the comfort of Jesus.
"When the prophet announced the birth of Jesus, he was referred to by the name Emmanuel, which is a beautiful name, a name full of wonder... it means God is with us. So I say to us all that even in the present tragedy, God is with us. Pray to him, and reach out to your neighbour who needs you."
The names of those who died were released yesterday as Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh, Stephenie Tait, 29, and Jacqueline Morton, 51, both from Glasgow. Jack Sweeney, 68, and his wife Lorraine, 69, were with their 18-year-old granddaughter Erin McQuade when they were all killed in the crash.
The Archbishop also spoke of how he had mourned with one of the bereaved families on Monday evening, the BBC reports.
I was able to witness and share the grief and sadness of a mother and of a father for their daughter, and of two daughters for their mother and father," he said.
"I tried to console them and comfort them. We spoke and we cried and we were silent before the abyss of their loss and the random meaninglessness of what had happened."
Tartaglia said the family, who were known by the Catholic community, "spoke openly of their faith" though their faith was "sorely tried".
Yesterday a time of prayer and reflection was held at St George's Tron Church, close to the scene of the crash.
The Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway Gregor Duncan, who was one of the first on the scene on Monday, told the BBC that many of the local churches would find a way to remember the victims during their Christmas services.
George Square reopened to the public on Tuesday afternoon, but the Christmas lights remain switched off as a mark of respect.
