The baby Jesus awaits us…

12-24-2023Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today a great light shines - the light of God’s love. Even though 2000 years have passed by, this still is the “Holy Night.” The only good news that can remove the fears of man today and can fill the soul with joy are those brought by the angels to the shepherds: “The Savior has been born!” Christmas night, good night, holy night! We feel great emotion as we face this mystery. Tonight, everything is big and at the same time, small.

The child is small. What does a baby mean? This small child that grows and will become the unique and unrepeatable God-man in history. The mystery of our redemption begins this way, as a child. Our faith also is still small: sometimes we believe little, we hope little. In this night of radiant light, love illuminates us from the manger. From this love, fraternity is born, forgiveness is born, mercy is born, peace is born. Does this love touch our souls?

These are troubling times. Our moral misery makes us afraid when we don't have the hope of a merciful hand that forgives us and consoles us; we are afraid when we don't have the courage to take the hand of Christ. We are afraid of our frailness and are not strong enough to take our Lord's hand as our master. Yet, He is the only one that can guide us.

May we live Christmas by Mary's side to discover - like her – what is most important of the Christmas mystery. Living Christmas like Mary means to look for moments of solace to contemplate “the great things that God Almighty has done in me.” It is to learn to appreciate silence and refection to live our life commitments in a more Christian way. “Mary held all these things in her heart.” To live Christmas with Mary means to have the strength enough to not allow social events and the worries of our world control and crush our lives.

Christmas means that Christ must be born anew in you. Christ needs to be in the world looking like you - your face, your hands, your will. He needs to transform the world into something truly beautiful, more human, more just. We cannot limit ourselves to “celebrate” Christmas. We must build a Christmas peace helping Christ to be born in today's world. Why not read the Christmas narrative in the Gospels? Why not go into church for a while to contemplate the scene of the Nativity? Why not alternate the parties, vacation, the exchange of presents with some moments of solace and refection?

May our actions say more than our Christmas cards.

All the best…in Christ,

Father Wilson