Christmas 2008
Dear Parishioners at Christ the Redeemer,
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy and
great rejoicing.
Isaiah 9, 1-3
The mystery of God with his people is the cause of joy, comfort, and consolation. Each epoch of human history finds the presence of our Father in Christ Jesus within the context of its language, culture, words, problems and challenges. In our time of grace, let us seek out a season of blessing and favor. From the blessings of our parish community and from those in my own life, allow me to wish you, your family, and your friends a Christmas filled with the good things which Christ alone brings to us.
The action of blessing God is the beginning of blessing others in our lives. To bless someone is, first of all, to bless God for the good things he does within our world. Blessing is a process of prayer and living, where we note the good things of God within ourselves, publically proclaim them for the good of others, and then give the hope that God will continue to love us in Christ Jesus. Our lives and our worlds are transformed into the holy action place of God.
Such is our parish community, where we regularly have gathered to note our blessings with thanks and publically proclaimed them in celebration. We have been blessed with various communities of celebration: Baptisms, Confirmations, Eucharists, weddings, funerals, anniversaries, first communions, and first confessions. Within our Sunday Eucharist we have embraced each other in a greeting of Christ’s peace before communion. Families and friends have met, strangers and migrants have been welcomed, and others continue to be invited. We have been blessed in our blessing of the Father in Christ by the action of the Holy Spirit. We have shared these blessings with our children in the passing on of the stories of faith.
Another blessing in our community has been the continued showing of charity and the doing of justice among the needy. The energetic response to the very real needs of our times shows us that the Kingdom of God continues to happen: LINK, the warming shelter project, the Inova Blood Drive, the growing of two Just Faith Communities, the support of Catholic Charities, ESL and citizenship education. We are blessed in blessing others.
May the light of Christ, which shines and conquers the darkness, be the warmth and comfort of your family and friends. The best wishes of the Friars and staff at CTR.
