A REFLECTION FOR CHRISTMAS

Recently Father Damien of Molokai was canonized into sainthood. Shortly after his ordination he travelled to that Hawaiian island to minister to its population of lepers. After several years of his apostolate there, Father Damien contracted leprosy himself. He informed his congregation of this one Sunday by beginning his sermon with the words, WE LEPERS. To bring them to God this good priest became what they were, a leper.

Does not the ministry of Father Damien remind us of Christmas, of the Incarnation, of Christ? To save us from our sins he became what we are. He took on all the weaknesses of our humanity, sin alone excepted. “Though he was in the form of God,” Saint Paul writes in his Letter to the Philippians, “Jesus did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at. Rather, he emptied himself, being born in human estate, taking on the form of a slave.”

We can say, then, that the meaning of Christmas is IDENTIFICATION. God loves us so much that in his Son he identifies with us. “God became man,” proclaims Saint Augustine, “so that man could become divine.” What wondrous love is this!

To make Christmas a practical reality in our lives, we must look to the value of identification with others, just as Jesus has identified with us. This means rooting out from our lives the non-values of our world.

Criticism, competition, complacency, egotism, pride, anger and overly asserting oneself all isolate us from one another and from God. Compassion, the ability to place oneself in another’s situation and shoes, forgiveness and tolerance, generosity and giving over the control and direction of life to the Providence of God: all these promote identification with God and with our fellow man. All of these make the miracle of Christmas real and alive in our midst.

Our prayer this Christmas is that all of us may have the wisdom, the courage and the faith to come out of self and identify with each other and with God. Then Jesus will truly be born to us! Merry Christmas, and a blessed and peace-filled New Year!

FRAGOMENI CD RECORDINGS AVAILABLE

Last Saturday Father Richard Fragomeni presented a marvelous afternoon of Advent reflection and prayer. His topic was how the liturgy is the foundation of spirituality. And how spirituality can be translated into practical Christian living in the world. We have recordings of the afternoon in a 2-CD set. They are available at the Rectory for a free-will offering. Plan to procure a set and listen to it with family or even when driving. I know you will be pleased with them!

Saint Joseph, pray for us, and let us pray for one another!