Today is the fourth, and last, Sunday of Advent, which means that in a few short days we will celebrate the Birth of Christ. As we celebrate this wonderful feast of the Birth of Christ, we may want to reflect on exactly what God has done for us in His great love for us. He has become one of us. He has humbled Himself to become a human being so that He can save us from our sins. It is we who have sinned and it is He who humbles Himself for us. Somehow that does not seem quite fair or just, yet this is what God has done because He loves us so much.
No one made God become a human being. He chose it freely and lovingly. Maybe the next time we are confronted with something that seems unfair we might think of what God has done for us. Christmas is a celebration of the love of God and there is no better way to envision this love than seeing a mother lovingly holding her child. Almost everyone can relate to images of Mary holding the newborn Jesus close to her heart. What is there in us that makes it so easy for most people to be moved by such an image? The answer is very simple: it is the love of God Himself in each of us that enables us to respond to love when it is right in front of us.
Christmastime is always a good and wonderful time for us and that is what God intends it to be. However, there are many people who dread the Christmas Season because of the memories they have of loved ones no longer with us, or memories of Christmases past that were far from loving or joyful. We must pray for these people and for the small part in all of us that has the same tendency. No matter what past Christmases were like, each Christmas is an opportunity for all of us to, again, realize the great and powerful love of God; the love He shows us by coming to us. He continues to come to us in so many ways, but most of all, through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. God continues to take flesh in each Mass and then gives Himself to us so that we may use our bodies and our very lives to give His love to everyone we meet in our daily lives.
This Christmas, may we all rejoice in the love that God has shown in so many countless ways, but most of all, by coming to us Himself as one like us in all things but sin. Let us ask the Lord to continue to reveal His love and help us to give of ourselves to others just as He gave His life by dying on the cross.
I hope that you and your loved ones will know the power of God’s love in your lives. It is the power to transform our lives more and more into the image and likeness of God. May we all be instruments of God’s love to others as we strive to lay down our lives for others. May God bless you and your loved ones during this holy time of the year.
Christmas is a time for giving and sharing because this is what God has done for us and so we seek to imitate Him. This year we may not be able to give our loved ones all the material things that we were able to give in the past, but we can give them the gift of God’s love through our kindness, patience, and compassion. Please do not forget to offer some of your blessings back to God as you make a gift to your parish community so that the work of spreading God’s love may continue through all that we do in His Name to carry on the work of salvation. Your Christmas gift to your parish community will be greatly appreciated by many people and God will surely bless you and your loved ones for your generosity and your sacrifice.
I am very grateful to our St. Vincent de Paul Society for their hard work in assisting the poor during this Christmas Season and to all who were so generous in their donations to those in need. It is truly a beautiful witness to the love of God when so many are so generous to their brothers and sisters in Christ. May God bless you and your families for all your generosity and kindness to others, especially those in need.
There is still one more opportunity to go to confession before Christmas. Confessions will be heard on Monday, December 23, from 11 to noon and 6 to 7 p.m. in the church.
Children’s Liturgy of the Word is offered at the 10:30 AM Mass on Sundays. Please remember that this program is for those children who have not yet made their First Holy Communion. We are very grateful to the catechists who volunteer their time to share God’s Word with our children. May God bless them for their efforts.
