Christmas Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

¡Feliz Navidad! Joyeux Noël! Frohe Weihnachten! Buon Natale! Wesołych Świąt! Veselé Vánoce! Maligayang Pasko! Jwaye Nwèl! Nollaig Shona! ... no matter how you say it with your family and friends ... Merry Christmas!

The pop singer Andy Williams introduced a new Christmas song on his first Christmas Album (1963) called It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and, in spite of everything ... indeed it is.

While some of the charm of Christmas is the sheer joy of children as they see the sights, hear the sound and smell the aromas associated with the season, and especially as they await the arrival of Santa Claus, we of course know that all of that – though important – serves as the periphery to what really brings us here and binds us together as disciples of Jesus Christ. As we celebrate the Nativity of the Lord we are renewed in hope and brought steadfast in faith. While to many, maybe even most, this celebration has been reduced to the quaint and nostalgic, indeed the sign of the presence of God among us – God with us – lies at the very core of our humanity.

There is no denying, however, the reality that this time of the year is flooded with emotion. Many of us long to be with family and those dear to us but time, distance, and the travel and gathering restrictions now in place prevent that. Others among us have experienced significant loss of loved ones, whether this year or just in years past, and we are reminded now of their absence in our lives. Likewise, health issues, economic struggles during the pandemic, the uncertainty of the future, and the general malaise of the present can interfere with our ability to bask in the moment and to recognize the loving presence of God in our lives.

This is a most wonderful time of the year as we allow our thoughts to turn towards the bountiful graces that the Lord has bestowed upon us throughout our lives. This is a most wonderful time of the year as we renew within us the commitment to living our faith, and to setting the desire to make a difference in the lives of others. One of the beauties of this season is that it causes us to stretch beyond ourselves and to think of others – even the cheesiest of gifts is borne of the desire to express love and gratitude. Unfortunately, we can often become selfish at the same time and envious of the gifts and attention given to others making us feel slighted, overlooked, or unloved.

This is a most wonderful time of the year as we take the time to allow it to be. The problems of today will still be here tomorrow. We change nothing by fretting, being miserable, angry, vengeful, or selfish. We change everything through joy, hope, peace, and consideration of the needs, desires, feelings, and affection of others.

As we celebrate this Christmas may each of us be open to the love of God pouring into our hearts and his desire to be among us – born as a humble child in the harsh circumstances of the manger – and to bring to us the Good News of salvation.

Soon we will assemble here again to celebrate his passion and death. A reminder of what hatred, evil, sin, despair, and anger can achieve in this world.

Let us be men and women infused with hope – enlivened with the spirit – and constant in faith knowing that Emmanuel has come – God is truly with us!

Merry Christmas!
Father Garry & Father JM