Merry Christmas everybody!

I hope, for a moment, you encounter some silence and peace this Christmas, like the night 2,000 years ago when Jesus was born. Or, like the famous story from World War I, when a truce broke out on Christmas Eve, 1914. Along the western front, in muddy and cold trenches, pockets of British and German soldiers stopped shooting at and trying to kill each other long enough to sing some carols, meet each other halfway across the battlefield, and exchange gifts of wine, tobacco, and kind words. While officially ignored, on December 7, 1914, Pope Benedict XV had implored leaders to observe a Christmas truce and asked "that the guns may fall silent at least upon the night the angels sang." It only lasted a night or, in some locations, a few days before the horrible violence of war returned, but for that moment a deeper human identity revealed by the birth of the Son of God connected enemies across lines. 

The birth of Jesus reveals our deeper identity. Each one of us are the beloved of God and made in his image. God so loved us that he became one of us, Emmanuel, to save us. It is worth remembering. In the midst of waves of the pandemic, divisions, and tragedy, we are all really brothers and sisters. In Christ, we are priceless gifts to one another. Some of the influences we experience lead us to take for granted or, even, devalue others. This year, the death of a friend, my cousin, my stepfather, and my uncle have reminded me how precious life and relationships are. The devastation caused by the tornadoes, as well, in dramatic fashion, have emphasized how fragile our lives and livelihoods are. The Record ran an article online that quoted Susan Montalvo-Gesser, the director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Owensboro. After finding a client who had lost everything seeking out others in order to provide assistance, she said, “There is a beauty of people who have lost everything, going out to see those whom they can help.” She added, “God is not in the disaster. But God is in the response.” The gift of Jesus reveals who we are, but it also gives us a purpose. We have a mission to see Christ in others and to be Christ for others. 

I hope you take a moment in this Christmas Season to reflect on what is truly important to you. Who is essential to you? What relationships challenge you to love and challenge you to be loved? What is your legacy? Whose life do you change for the better? How do you make a difference for good? What inspires you, motivates you, excites you, and gives you meaning? What is your purpose? Is yours a life well lived? Are you the best version of yourself? What’s your next best step?

These are challenging times. What we can do is choose how to respond. Remember, God is in the response. I pray that God will bless you, protect you, and guide you. May the light of Christ shine in our hearts, the peace of Christ fill our lives, and the love of Christ transform our world. This Christmas, God be with you, in you, and through you!

In Christ’s Peace,

Fr. Jeff