December 22, 2024

Embrace, enjoy the peace Christ provides Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Entering this Christmas season, we are moved by the warm imagery that our Nativity sets evoke, the cards we receive depicting the Holy Family, and the carols we hear that remind us of that night in Bethlehem when the birth of Our Savior changed the world. While I enjoy the sights and sounds of the Nativity, and recall beautiful memories of Christmases past, I also recognize the contrast between the choruses of heavenly peace and the earthly reality of that time. The country in which Mary and Joseph lived experienced violence, fear, suffering and uncertainty. As they journeyed from Nazareth to Bethlehem, they no doubt carried in their…