A Silent And Holy Night
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.These words from John 3:16 are more than a sign we see held in a crowd at a NFL football game. These comforting words remind us of the reason for the birth of the baby Jesus on a silent night in Bethlehem. In believing this, we have a responsibility to embrace this gift by the way we live and how we share the good news.
This Christmas night of 2012, there will be little peace for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, especially in the tragic incident in Connecticut, where innocent children lost their lives at the hands of a troubled soul. What John is giving us in this scripture passage is a message of hope, that there is eternal life, reminding us that 26 victim souls, indeed angels, entered heaven on Dec. 14, 2012, in that horrific moment of sadness. The only way we can prepare ourselves to understand any of this, is through prayer and a relationship with God who saves us. Our culture and media do not advertise this message, but those who understand this real peace and know where it comes from, need to witness with love and prayer. To be a prayer giant only requires the desire to make the world a better place, and the dedication to make time for conversation with God. This is difficult in our noisy world, but in seeking quiet, you can truly hear God speak.
An angel warned Joseph in a dream about the dangers of a paranoid and evil leader named Herod, who was threatened by the birth of a newborn King. Herod, having heard that the expected Messiah was born, foolishly feared that he would deprive him of his kingdom and made plans to destroy him. Joseph obediently fled to Egypt to protect his family from the evil of Herod. What we now know as Herod’s Massacre of the Innocents took place soon after. Paranoid and evil behaviors are still doing terrible things to innocent lives in our world today. Throughout salvation history prayer warriors and angels have been protecting us with a balance of the gift of God’s mercy. The things of this world may fail us, but the promises of Christ never will.
As you hug your family members a little tighter this Christmas, remind each of them where the strength of your love comes from. The greatest gift you can give them is the witness of your faith and prayers. The Catholic Church provides us with seven great sacraments to fill our lives with God’s grace every day. Empower your family against the threats of this world with these Sacraments of love.
My husband, Dick, and I recently made a pilgrimage to Italy with Father Jason Gries, who served as the spiritual director. As I watched the news unfold in Connecticut on Friday, Dec. 14, I was reminded of one of the many chapels where we celebrated Mass in Italy. The “Chapel of Tears” in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi with the image of St. Francis wiping his tears was beautiful. We captured 1,600 photographs on this trip. My favorite is the picture with Father Jason celebrating Mass in this chapel. The image of the elevated Eucharist, which heals the wounds and tears of this world, next to a weeping St. Francis, is a very powerful reminder.
The prayerful life of St. Francis of Assisi is something to model. The story of the origin of the Christmas crèche rests with this very holy man. May we never forget to see in our hearts the little Babe of Bethlehem who came to save us from sin. We must never forget that the wood of the manger that held Him so securely would one day give way to the wood of the cross. May we too embrace Him with all of our love as did St. Francis. We are blessed to have the Catholic Traditions to share with our loved ones. This Christmas, as you celebrate Holy Mass together, make a promise to experience this beautiful gift as a family every Sunday of the year. Let His Holy Presence live in you. There is no better assurance for the protection of evil in this world, than to guard your soul with the grace of God, now and forever! May you be blessed with a silent and very holy night this Christmas and always! Amen!
