My Dear friends and parishioners of Holy Family,
As you and your families celebrate the Christmas Season, first and foremost I want to wish you, on behalf of the Holy Family Catholic Community, a joyous and blessed season, filled with the love of God. I welcome all our visitors during this Holy time and invite you to come back to celebrate with us throughout the coming year.
We have to remember that Christmas is a time that pictures not only images of a child born in a manger, but also much more than just a simple birth! It is a season that opens our hearts and minds to the presence of God becoming man, “the Incarnation.” This occurs mainly out of a Love and care that God has for His own creation of humanity. It is the time that we see through special eyes that God’s love is so great for His children that he stoops down to our level, to bring us up to His level. This is the true gift of Christmas. By Christ’s birth, the status of humanity has been raised. By it, we are led to a place in His Kingdom of Eternity. And from that, we are called to a great responsibility and purpose!
This year as we celebrate the Christmas Season, which by the way is a lot shorter than the “Christmas Shopping Season” (Dec. 25 to Jan. 13—The Baptism of the Lord), we are reminded that we are called to a greater heritage than that which we are born into. We have been made greater by the birth of one human. We have been raised to a new promise of what we can become. When we celebrate the birthday of anyone, we are stating to that person that we are happy they are here. When we celebrate the birthday of the child Jesus, we are not only happy that he is here, but also telling Him and everyone we know that because of this, we are different. That’s why we give gifts to each other on this day, because it is a part of sharing our joy and our awareness of how this birth has affected us.
May this year’s Christmas season lead you to a greater awareness of God and His purpose for you in a profound and lasting way. May you ask yourself at this time: "Because of this birth, how am I different?" And may the way you live your life be your answer.
Very Rev. John C. Giel, V.G.,
Pastor
