From the Pastor - Christmas

December 23, 2022

It is Christmas! Our Gospel reading on this festive holy day is the opening words of the Gospel of John. St. John says, “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him.” That is why we celebrate today. Pope Francis opened his sermon on Christmas day last year by saying this: “In the darkness, a light shines. An angel appears, the glory of the Lord shines around the shepherds and finally the message awaited for centuries is heard.”


At Mass on Christmas Eve we hear, “I proclaim to you good news of great joy; today a Savior is born for us, Christ the Lord.” It is this joy we need to feel, this joy we need to carry to others. Many have expressed the joy of today. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI once said this about Christmas: “Joy is the true gift of Christmas. We can communicate this joy simply: with a smile, a kind gesture, a little help, forgiveness. And the joy we give will certainly come back to us… Let us pray that this presence of the liberating joy of God shines forth in our lives.”


The angel Gabriel greeted our Blessed Mother Mary with the Greek word, Kaire! That means “Be joyful.” God is near us today; He is so near that He became a child. Let us take that joy and share it with others; let us take that joy and change our lives and the lives of others. When we say “Merry Christmas” let us mean it with every fabric of our being.


Pastoral Pondering

Hodie, Christus natus est! Today, Christ is born! This Christmas proclamation, based on the angel’s message to the shepherds, Today is born for you, in the City of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. It has been immortalized over the centuries by such composers as Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Giovanni Gabrieli. A nice arrangement of it can be found on You Tube (youtube.com/watch?v=Phn2ck4xo9g).


Those words and all that they represent, changed the world! In that Baby born in Bethlehem, in the lowly manger, God chose to enter into our very humanity. He became one with us, Emmanuel, so that we in turn might be united with God. In truth, this reality is beyond understanding; yet, it is the absolute expression of the Father’s love that finds its culmination on calvary. Some have described it as “the greatest love story ever told.”


I think some of the greatest contemporary wisdom about Christmas can be found in A Charlie Brown Christmas. After all of the hoopla about Christmas trees and commercialism, Linus reminds us of what it is really all about. That Christ was born FOR US! Let us celebrate this day for we are blessed beyond measure by the God who loves us. So much so, in fact, that He sent His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life.


Merry Christmas!!


From the Pastor

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By John Putnam • April 3, 2026
The great feast of Easter has begun, Christian stewards. Let us rejoice and be glad! Just as we embraced the discipline and fasting of Lent, let us fully embrace the joy and feasting that the next 50 days offer. We are called to be good stewards of the Easter season. Our first reading, from Acts, gives instruction on how to do this. Here, St. Peter says that our Lord, “commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead… that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” How do we ordinary people preach and testify to all God has done? We do so through how we live our ordinary lives — through the intentional use of our time, talent, and treasure for the kingdom of God. Putting God and others ahead of ourselves in every aspect of our lives is the most eloquent preaching we can do. Boldly and joyfully embracing a stewardship way of life is our most powerful testimony. As Christian stewards, we are the modern-day witnesses of an incredible miracle prompted by unfathomable love — the death and Resurrection of our Savior for us. Let us rejoice and be glad and let’s make sure our lives are a testimony to this amazing grace! © Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2026  HAPPY EASTER!