Love: The Spirit of Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Whether you are reading this on the first day of Christmas or the last or beyond

the message still carries through.

It is a message of love.

Since I am a part of a musical family,

our talents are in high demand during this season at the churches sprinkled throughout the area.

As a result, I attended many a Christmas Eve Mass and heard many a homily. The common thread to

all of them was the message of love. Our pastor discussed a tradition he had in his home where they

would break bread together as a family on Christmas Eve and as they broke off pieces of each other’s

bread, they would forgive that person. He said it was the only time his father would kiss each of the

children. Forgiveness is a powerful thing and directly entwined with our ability to love because both require humility and self sacrifice.

One of the other priests had the children come to the front to help him help retell the Christmas story. Afterwards he asked what gifts they wanted for Christmas and then asked what the greatest gift was to which the reply was “Jesus.” He then asked what Jesus gave us to which the smartest kid in the middle with a huge bow atop her head answered, “Love.” He turned the the congregation and said, “I couldn’t have said it better. God sent His son to earth to be love and show us how to love.”

As you celebrate this Christmas season remember the difference between Santa and Jesus.

Santa gives OF himself, but only Christ gave HIMSELF. Jesus is the reason for the season,

giving the greatest gift, making the greatest self sacrifice, showing us love in its ultimate form. The

commercialized “spirit of Christmas” is, simply put, love.

May we continue throughout the year to strive

for perfect, pure, humble, self-sacrificial love in everything we do, may we strive to emulate the king, Emmanuel.

Merry Christmas to all and may your time with family be filled with joy and peace.