Christmas 2010
Dear Brothers and Sisters at Christ the Redeemer Parish,
"Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:14) Soon this hymn of the angels, which embraced the shepherds, will fill our hearts and our homes. More than the music and the angelic singing, Luke tells us of the very presence of God which lit up the night sky, warmed the cold, and took away the shepherds' fear. On that night Jesus was born. Peace was God's grace to all.
My prayer this year is that the Christmas story in God's word and the visions which the scriptures invite may allow the glory of God to bring peace to you, your family, and our world. The Lord's peace always takes away our fears and allows us to be embraced by the presence of God. May Christ's light scatter the darkness of doubt and sin in our lives.
These are the blessings which are once again ours this year. As we gather around the Lord's Table for this great feast of grace, we come together with literally thousands of people in our parish. Here we can see, touch, and feel the blessed presence of the Lord with us. Through the year I am blessed to share life and ministry with all the believers at Christ the Redeemer. Christ is not far from our lives. At his Table, at the sharing of his Word, and in the service to God's poor we are constantly blessed to discover Emmanuel, God-with-us. Let us be grateful for these gifts and take the time to tell each other.
Thank you for being a graced occasion for me throughout the year. The Christmas story continues each and every day as we encounter Christ in one another. At this season we get to note the glory of God which gathers and holds us together. Not only do we celebrate Jesus' birth, but we remember in song, ritual, and gathering that we are re-born in Christ in the miracle of his grace. Far from nostalgia, Christmas is the graced moment of our life in Christ; this is the reality of life together as the Body of Christ, the Church.
In this Christmas-Epiphany time let us continue to be a blessing for each other. To bless is to remember as a community that Christ is our choicest blessing, the Holy One of God among us. As God's glory embraces us, let us grasp this moment of peace and great joy in Christ.
