From the Pastor’s Desk:

Sometimes we get bent out of shape for reasons that are not worth arguing about. For example when people

ask, “What do you mean that the Church just set the date for Jesus’ birth? Was He or was He not born on

December 25th?” There was no one around taking notes as to the exact date that Jesus was born. In fact one

of the earliest references to the birth of Jesus being celebrated on December 25th appeared in Antioch in the

middle of the 2nd century. The Christians were still being persecuted by the Roman Empire and it was not until

the Council of Tours in 567, that the Season of Advent as a time of special preparation and grace for the birth

of Jesus was established. It was also at this time that the 12 days from Christmas to Epiphany was set as a

sacred, festive season.

Year after year, we have a choice of how to celebrate Christmas. We can just choose to have the kind of

Christmas we want. We can have a Christmas of tinsel, wrapping paper and gifts wrapped with pretty bows.

We can have a Christmas of special cookies and food. We can have a Christmas filled with special

decorations. All of those things and more are fine in and of themselves, but they do not express the very heart

of Christmas.

As Christians hopefully we are celebrating the second person of the Trinity, the Word made flesh, that chose to

step foot into our human world. The belief that the creator of all creation, took on the limitations of human

flesh. Within all the religions of the ancient as well as today’s world, the belief of God made man is unique to

Christianity alone. That’s what makes it so incredible, almost unbelievable.

Because it is a mystery that is so hard to understand and comprehend, that God would do such a thing

motivated by pure love, many settle for Christmas as something less, tinsel and pretty wrapping paper, cookies

and a beautiful tree with lights. These things do not require a response, because on December 26th we can

throw the tree out and get on with our lives.

But if we acknowledge a Christmas as the celebration of Jesus as the Son of God, then the Son of God will

eventually require a commitment from us. When he says in the Gospels, turn the other cheek, or forgive, or love

your enemies, or give food to the hungry and the refugees, we can’t walk away.

Whether you come to Christmas Eve Mass or on Christmas Day itself, celebrate the birth of the Son of God and

continue to celebrate throughout the year. May you all have a blessed and joyful Christmas with family and

friends.

Thank you for all the cards and gifts! And a special thank you to all who helped us decorate!