Father Jack, Father John and I join in wishing all of you the peace, joy and richness of this Christmas Season which began yesterday and will continue until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on January 9th. After four weeks of Advent preparation, we know that as a people we have been transformed. Out of the darkness, we have seen a great light. The course of history was changed by the birth of Jesus in the Word made Flesh and, as a result, we have all been offered the gift of salvation. We are a community of believers who have the opportunity to demonstrate to others that God lives among us.
Let us remember that those who first adored the Babe were not the wealthy or the elite of that day. The Gospel tells us plainly that it was a group of poor, unclean shepherds who were present in the stable to witness the birth. Lest we forget, our own parish mission says that, “united through Baptism, we strive to live in solidarity with all people, especially the poor and marginalized.”
Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. Mary and Joseph had to flee from the security of their homeland into Egypt to keep the Child Jesus safe from the violent intentions of King Herod to kill Him. It reminds us that they willingly followed the instructions of God. Their journey into a strange land was done out of love and a sense of obedience to God’s will. This is a day when all families should take time to consider the many blessings we have in our families. Unlike many families in the world, we have the luxury of doing things together without that fear of war or other kinds of violence threatening us. Take that little bit of time to let each person in your family know that they are important and loved.
Enjoy this week of celebration and goodwill.
Peace in Christ,
Fr. Lio
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