During this season we receive cards from family members that so often include photos. Recent pictures of newborn babies, married couples, family reunions, summer days at the beach. In our liturgy the Church gives us a family album that includes shepherds, angels, magi, an infant, Mary and Joseph. If we look a bit deeper the season also includes the martyrdom of Stephen and Thomas Becket and the slaughter of the Holy Innocents. No wonder red is one of the Christmas colors. The question then becomes if embrace the Christ child it will cost us. Embrace a spouse, a ministry, a cause or a country and it will cost us. Simeon reminds Mary that her soul will be pierced with a sword. So during this joyful season our liturgy asks us how much blood have we spilt for Jesus? Do our choices and decisions make it obvious that Jesus is our Lord and savior? Are we in God’s family album?
At this sacred time I thank all of you for the many ways you live stewardship here at St. Luke’s. In this awful economy with job loss somehow we continue to reach out to others. In this past year the young have been educated, the bereaved comforted, the sick visited, the hungry fed. Day in and day out the Gospel is lived. For this I am thankful.
Fr. Bob Hawkins
No comments:
Post a Comment