Dear Parishioners,

         As December 25th falls on a Sunday this year, it certainly makes the Christmas Mass schedule easier to remember as it follows the usual weekend Mass times that are in place throughout the year. It is also easier on me, and on you as well, as we come to Mass just one time this week instead of those years when we attend Christmas Mass during the same week that we attend Mass on the 4th Sunday of Advent. But I continue to be saddened by the fact that we no longer need two other Masses on Christmas Eve, such as when we had a 4pm, 7pm & 10pm on December 24th. I believe that the effects of COVID are to blame for the continued decrease in attendance as many continue to watch us at home instead of being with us in person. If that is true for you, I strongly encourage you to come back to church where we can all be inspired by the presence of one another and where you can receive the Holy Eucharist. Let us remember what Jesus says to us: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will have no life within you!” Again, I understand if you need to watch us via livestream due to serious illness, risk of flu or COVID infection due to being out in public, or inability to walk due to advanced age. This is a legitimate reason to remain at home. However, that would mean that you don’t go out anywhere in public except for visits to the doctor. I feel bad having to repeat this challenging message so often, but the priests and Bishop of the Diocese (and really throughout the country/world) have often expressed their concern over this continued particular effect of the COVID pandemic. I believe the Lord would have me remind you that His sacramental gifts are necessary for salvation and would want me to encourage you as often as I can to receive them with gratitude and joy.

I hope that those of you who are with us in church for this celebration of the Lord’s birth will forgive my rather joyless message at the beginning of this column and will allow me now to welcome you here today. Whether you are a faithful parishioner, a visitor from another parish or even a person who has not been here for some time, I welcome you warmly and with joy today! I also want to remind you too that God’s great love is a gift that we do not deserve, but which is seen today in such a powerful way in the birth of his Son. This is not simply a birthday party but a solemn celebration of the Incarnation, the event that no one really could expect or imagine, the decision of God to become one of us, taking on our human nature so that we can have a share in God’s divine nature. We can’t really comprehend what this means until we are safe in God’s kingdom. There are still many people today of other religious backgrounds who believe it is blasphemy to believe that the all-powerful and transcendent God would dare put aside his eternal glory in order to descend into the sinful reality of human life. How easy it is for us to take this for granted every year on this day. It should continue to shake us to our core, to astound and surprise us, to leave us in disbelief…God has become one of us! Despite the continued indulgence in sin and evil, God continues to love us now as much as he did when he was born into the sinful world of the 1st century. Yet we will only know the joy of this love if we accept God into our lives through faith. God respects our free will and so will not force us to love Him. We can reject him and live in the terrible sadness that comes as a result of our selfishness. It should be so obvious to us that a world that rejects God and faith is a world that is sinking into depression and despair. So thank you for being here today. I hope you are here next Sunday, as well,  as we begin a new year. Let God into your life and you will know the peace God wants you to have.