Hello everybody! Merry Christmas!

As I look back on the past three years, I am struck by the journey we have been on. From hope and optimism, to the outbreak of the pandemic and uncertainty, challenge and suffering, to renewed hope tempered by increased uncertainty, adjustments, and dashed expectations, to a new normal with lingering repercussions, to a full stride and actualizing our potential, it has been a roller coaster of a ride. We have been up and down, up and down. We remain in need of some healing. Grief has been part of our journey: over those we have lost, over lost time, and over our confidence in the future. We have lost a lot. Yet, our trust in a God who is with us, Emmanuel, has been a source of strength. This Christmas is a celebration of the God who has become one of us, has never abandoned us or left us alone. In the midst of our journey, God is a good God, who has given us his very self. We have never been alone. 

As we celebrate this Christmas, renewed with family gatherings, the giving of gifts, eating our favorite dishes, the excitement of children opening presents, rushing from place to place to get it all in, and experiencing the contentment of a gift well given, I hope you soak it all in. We should especially remember that life is a gift and we should relish it. So, today, savor the moment. With all of our ups and downs, we are particularly aware that time is precious. Making the most of our time on this planet takes some intentional effort, investment, and commitment. We want to live a full life, one filled with love, but often we’re satisfied with a thrill, trying to fill a void, or numbness. In an attempt to recapture what has been lost, we can grasp at every straw, but often we miss the point: a life of love is about giving ourselves away, not trying to possess. It is in giving that we receive. The only way to live a life of love is to truly and authentically love others. Love does indeed grow as we give it away. 

Christmas shows us that only way we could truly come to love God was for God to love us first. The only way we could ever give ourselves to God was for God to first give himself to us. And, so, a baby was born in a manger. The baby Jesus, as well as the adult Jesus, shows us who we really are and are meant to be. He reveals to us that we were made in the image of love. Our fully human life is meant for giving and receiving love. As we seek to recapture the fullness of life, we need to be who we were made to be and do what we were meant to do. That is love. I was inspired by a couple for whom I recently celebrated their marriage who shared a foundational value for their lives, “You’re not wealthy until you have something that money can’t buy.” That something is love. In the midst of this season, remember what money can’t buy. More than any gift, give yourself. 

I am reminded every Christmas, and especially this Christmas, what is truly important, namely, love. God born as a baby in Bethlehem reveals to us that we are meant to be who we truly are, which is to be a gift for others. In the gift of the baby Jesus this Christmas, find yourself and find what is truly important, what money can’t buy. It will make all the difference. Time is precious. So, today, with all it’s joys, savor the moment. God is with us, Emmanuel. God is love.