December 25

​Dear Friends,

​As we celebrate the Incarnation of the Son of God at Christmas, our hearts are heavy with reminders of realities calling for redemption: ongoing wars in Ukraine and other “hot spots,” the cold and hungry and mentally ill living on our streets, fear and suffering associated with violent crime and the issues that contribute to it, loneliness and discouragement, concerns about the economy… the list goes on. For some, the weight of these realities threatens to overwhelm. The world has always been weary.

The spirit of this Season can ease the burden, and the increased time together with friends and family can help remind us of where we draw strength and encouragement. Coming together in church as a faith community fortifies our shared faith as we are drawn into an encounter with the Divine Child. The coming of Christ brought new light to the world back then, and that light streams across the centuries into our own time. Those who know the Lord can attest to the power that relationship has for healing emotional wounds, fueling hope, stimulating outreach and compassion. The image of the God-made-vulnerable causes some to do a double-take, heads spinning to grasp the significance of this radical and unexpected power play, this surprising and even startling remedy to all that ails us.

Ours is a “Christmas parish”: consecrated to the Archangel who announced the dawn of salvation and the event that inaugurated it. My prayer for all our parish families is that this year’s celebration of Christmas, carrying through the celebrations of Mary, Mother of God (on January 1st) and the Epiphany (on the 8th), will bring about spiritual wonder and interior renewal.
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May God bless you and your loved ones with peace this Holy Season.