Transform the secular into holy

Dear Friends in Christ,

The Meaning of Christmas

by Fr. Andrew Greeley

“It might be easy to run away to a monastery, away from the commercialization, the hectic hustle, the demanding family responsibilities of Christmas-time.  Then we would have a holy Christmas. But we would forget the lesson of the Incarnation, of the enfleshing of God—the lesson that we who are followers of Jesus do not run from the secular; rather we try to transform it.   It is our mission to make holy the secular aspects of Christmas just as the early Christians baptized the Christmas tree.   And we do this by being holy people—kind, patient, generous, loving, laughing people—no matter how maddening is the Christmas rush…” This quote appeared in Woman’s Day magazine on 12-22-81.

During this Advent and Christmas Seasons let us accept the challenge to make the secular holy by being kind, patient, generous, loving, laughing and forgiving to our family members and everyone we meet.  Then people will see that Jesus is Emmanuel, the God who is with us.

May Jesus bestow the blessings we need to celebrate His birth with renewed hope and with His strength transform the secular into the holy.

           In Advent waiting,

           Fr. David