3^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Isaiah 8:23-9:3
1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17
Matthew 4:12-23
January 26, 2014

Why did Jesus come into our human world?  Why would Jesus who is consubstantial with the Father be willing to give up being in Heaven to become one like us?

Hopefully, we all immediately think of Jesus’ death on the Cross for us.  Jesus’ mission is ultimately fulfilled in his Crucifixion (and Resurrection) but it didn’t begin there.

Today’s gospel is from the fourth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel but it is really the kickoff off point as the first time Jesus ministers to others.  Chapters one and two speak of his birth.  Chapter three moves us into his baptism but it is today’s passage that tells us of Jesus’ first ministry.

It’s only eleven verses but hits the key elements of Jesus’ ministry.  We hear that he cures people but before that he first begins to gather disciples.  Even before that he preaches.

Jesus comes to reveal God’s truth to us.  What Jesus says is important.

How do we receive his preaching?  It isn’t enough just to hear Jesus’ words to the multitudes.  It isn’t enough to come to church and listen to the words.

Think of it like a doctor’s visit.  When we are not feeling well we go to the doctor.  If we have a specific illness, the doctor might prescribe a medicine and we get better.

Sometimes our complaints to the doctor may not be so simple.  In my case, my doctor keeps telling me to lose weight (like I need the doctor to tell me that).  He tells me the reasons I should lose weight and gives me ideas on to do it.

Then I go home and I don’t lose much weight.  Why?  Because I didn’t change anything!  I keep eating the same and walking the same amount.

It isn’t enough for me just to listen to the doctor say words of advice.  I need to put them into action if I expect anything to get better.  Sometimes we make conscious choices about this stuff like when my doctor suggested a meatless diet and my immediate choice was no!  Other times, we know the advice is good but we just don’t put into action.  With diet, will power with desserts and candy comes to mind here.

The same is true with Jesus’ preaching.  Without a doubt, everything Jesus teaches us in his preaching is good.  But it isn’t enough just to hear the words.  We need to make changes in our lives to live in accord with Jesus’ words.

Sometimes we don’t do what Jesus says because we make a choice for an immediate earthly pleasure over the eternal joy of Heaven because we want an immediate result.

Sometimes what Jesus says may not seem reasonable.  He speaks of the commandment not to kill and tells us not to even get angry.  We understand not killing, well in general, people want to argue about what is and isn’t life, but we might think to not get angry is impossible.  It seems so natural.

So, since it seems impossible, we might figure why bother or we might make excuses that Jesus must have meant something else.

After all, we only get angry because somebody else did something wrong, right?  If they had just do it right, we won’t have gotten angry so it’s their fault.

Sometimes it’s not that someone always does something wrong.  Sometimes we get angry because someone doesn’t do what we want.

Besides, as long as we don’t hurt someone what is wrong with being angry?

Anger is always bad because it stands in the way of love.  Anger takes over.

Anger is just one example of how Jesus calls us to live.  We can “ignore” Jesus’ teaching on other things today.  Some people debate what in the Bible applies today.

We can end up divided in groups.  This is nothing new.  Paul writes to the Corinthians to instruct them to stop dividing into factions.  Paul instructs them to be united in the same mind and the same purpose.

But whose mind?  When we are trying to decide right and wrong, who makes the determination?  Psychologists can explain why a person steals, gets angry, drinks, or commits bad sexual acts.  The fact that the psychologist can explain it doesn’t make it right.

Logical arguments can be made for the death penalty.  That doesn’t make it right.

People make arguments about life in the womb and at the end of life.  Majority rule doesn’t make it right or wrong.

God defines what is good.  Jesus reveals to us in his preaching what is good.  How well do we listen and do we put it into action in our lives?

2^nd Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Isaiah 49:3, 5-6
1 Corinthians 1:1-3
John 1:29-34
January 19, 2014

Here comes Jesus!  One might have expected that as soon as John saw Jesus he might run to Jesus with great joy.  That is not John’s first reaction.

John could point Jesus out to the people as the one he told them was coming.  He does but it isn’t the first thing John says about Jesus.

John does point out Jesus to the others but not as the one he has been talking about.  John’s first description of Jesus foreshadows Jesus’ Crucifixion, which won’t happen till three years later.  John might not understand exactly what it means but as he points out Jesus to the others his first words proclaim Jesus’ very purpose for coming, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”

Jesus is our sacrificial lamb who gives up his life freely to take away our sins.  This defines who Jesus is for us.

Last Monday I visited our school and one of the students asked me how come Jesus’ had to die for us on the Cross?  Couldn’t he have saved another way so he could keep on living?

This question was asked by a fifth grade but it is a point that scholars debate.  It is a question without a clear-cut answer.  Could God have saved us another way?  After all, he is God.  It’s a question I don’t have a definitive answer for.

What I do know is that God choose to save us through Jesus’ Crucifixion.  Today we again hear about the ‘suffering servant’ from Isaiah.  Isaiah describes the ‘suffering servant’ as the one God uses to show us his glory.  The servant will be made glorious in the sight of the Lord.

Jesus totally submits to the Father’s will, giving his life in the Crucifixion and made glorious in the Resurrection but we see the glory in Crucifixion because the image of Jesus on the Cross is an image of God’s love for us.

Jesus fulfills these words and more.  Isaiah speaks of the ‘suffering servant’ as the one who brings “light to the nations”.  Jesus indeed is the light of the world.

John will go on to say more about Jesus but it all begins with “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”

We use words like this at every Mass at Communion.  Why every Mass?

I say these words as I hold up the newly consecrated host for all to see and gaze upon.  It is Jesus we receive.  It isn’t bread or wine.  We don’t know how it is changed.  It doesn’t look any different but we know Jesus said This is my body… This is my blood and so we believe.

We cannot understand the significance of this without uniting it with the Eucharist.  In our Catholic faith, we believe that Jesus forever united the celebration of the Eucharist with his Crucifixion so that every time we celebrate the Eucharist, Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world is made present for us.

John offers testimony to Jesus in his every word and deed for he came into the world to make Jesus known.

What do you do to offer testimony about Jesus?

When we hear “testimony” we might think of a court room.  Our testimony is not given in a court room.  Our testimony to our faith comes most dominantly in the way we live our lives.

Words are important but St. Francis taught to proclaim the gospel always, use words only when necessary.

One of the ways our actions profess our faith is how important we see our regular attendance at church.  We come to hear God’s word and receive the Eucharist.  If we don’t come, what does that say about our belief in the Eucharist?

What do you do to live out our faith?

Baptism of the Lord, Year A
Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
Acts 10:34-38
Matthew 3:13-17
January 12, 2014

Isaiah speaks of the “suffering servant” chosen by the Lord to receive his spirit and who pleases the Lord.  People ask who this “suffering servant” is who has been called by the Lord to bring justice to the nations in a peaceful way.

Some speculate it could be Isaiah himself.  As a prophet, Isaiah proclaimed God’s message but because he preached an unpopular message he faced sufferings from the people.

Some speculate that the “suffering servant” is the Israelite people as a whole who suffer in exile.

As Christians, we see Jesus as the “suffering servant”.  He is the one who suffers on the Cross for us.

Today we celebrate “The Baptism of the Lord”.  In the story of Jesus’ baptism we see Isaiah’s prophecy of the “suffering servant” fulfilled.  The spirit of the Lord comes upon him and the voice from Heaven confirms Jesus as his Son with whom he is well pleased.

Two questions – first, people have asked me this week why the Baptism of the Lord is part of our Christmas season.  Christmas is about Jesus’ birth but he wasn’t baptized until he was an adult.

Yes, Christmas is about Jesus’ birth that we celebrate with joy but to appreciate Jesus’ birth we must understand why he was born.  Jesus came to save us and his ministry begins with his baptism.  So, we conclude our Christmas season by celebrating the beginning of Jesus’ ministry for which he was born.

The other question becomes why did Jesus come to John to be baptized.  John himself doesn’t understand why Jesus comes to him for baptism.  First, John knows Jesus is greater than he, that he (John) should be baptized by Jesus.  We also remember that John’s baptism was solely for the forgiveness of sins.  Jesus had no sins.

Jesus says John is to baptize him to fulfill all righteousness.  It’s been God’s plan.  Why would God’s plan include the baptism of Jesus?

First, I think Jesus’ baptism sets an example for us.  If Jesus was baptized, then we should all be baptized.  But with Jesus, baptism is no longer just for the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus makes baptism so much more by sending down the Holy Spirit on all who are baptized.  We need the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ baptism also marked a new beginning for him as he began his public ministry.  Likewise, baptism marks a new beginning for us as we are joined with Jesus, initiated as adopted sons and daughters of God.

Jesus becomes our brother.  In living our life in faith, I think we can say we become “partners” with Jesus.  I talked about how some saw the people of Israel as a whole as the “suffering servant.”  As Catholics, we share in the suffering of Jesus.

We are all formed by God, chosen and called by God to be his servants. In coming here today, we acknowledge our calling and ask for strength and guidance from God to fulfill the calling.

Each and every one of us has been giving gifts for the building up of God’s kingdom.  Ask yourself how you can be good stewards and use what you have been given to make your family, our parish, our church, and the whole world be what God calls it to be.

As an engineer working on roads and bridges I took my job seriously for the safety of the people travelling on the roads.  (For the record, I didn’t work on the roads and bridges around here.)  As the “administrator” of our parish, I think about how we care for our buildings to make sure they are safe and well maintained, hence our capital campaign.  As a priest, I think about how I can serve the spiritual needs of you as the people of our parish.

People ask what it takes to be a priest.  Years ago I think priests had a common story.  Today priests can have a variety of backgrounds.  There are still men who enter the seminary in college as their first career.  With my classmates in seminary, some were businessmen, one was a barber, one a marine biologist, and two others were engineers like me.

With religious sisters and brothers I think the variety can be even more.  There are religious who have backgrounds in law and do legal work for the people they serve.  I know a sister who works in the real estate business serving the poor.

As a priest, I think the most important thing I do is celebrating the sacraments but for each of us our calling centers on serving others.  How can you use the abilities you have been given to serve others around you?

Epiphany, Year A
Isaiah 60:1-6
Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
Matthew 2:1-12
January 5, 2014

The magi see a star and knew it signified the birth of a newborn king and not just any king but a newborn king of the Jews.

In those days, it was not uncommon for people to believe that a star would appear when a new king was born.  What is amazing is the magi are willing to travel a great distance to see the newborn king of the Jews and they aren’t even Jewish.  They are Gentiles!

When the new prince was born in England last summer, many people watched the news across the world but didn’t travel a great distance to see him.  The Magi did for Jesus.

Where are the Jews who should be coming to see their newborn king?  This is something they have been waiting a long time for.

Anyone could have seen the star.  It is the Gentile Magi who respond and come to see this Epiphany.

What is it that they see?  They gazed upon the scene depicted in our nativity, the scene of the birth of our Savior.  They looked upon Jesus.

Why did they come?  Some come to see a king to ask some for something.  They asked Jesus for nothing.  In fact, they came bearing gifts.

Seeing Jesus they saw an epiphany of the Lord, a life changing event.  An epiphany is a revelation or manifestation of God.  We call this scene, The Epiphany but we can read of other epiphanies of the Lord in the Old Testament, like the burning bush.

Won’t it be wonderful to have such an epiphany?

It would be a life changing moment.

Sometimes when we feel like we are living in darkness, we pray for God’s light.  The darkness can be caused by a range of things, the death of a loved one, cancer, something in our children’s or spouse’s lives.

When we see such darkness, we seek light but it can seem difficult or impossible to find.  We want to see the burning bush or the baby Jesus or an angel with a message.

We don’t get it.

Does that mean God isn’t appearing to us?  Does it mean that God isn’t present with us?  Absolutely not!

God is always with us.  It’s just hard to see.  Sometimes we have too many distractions.  Sometimes we are looking in the wrong places.

We look for God to whisk away all our problems when sometimes God wants to lead us through them.

Here I think of the days I have where it seems there is too much work to do.  I pray that God would just whisk some of the work away.  He doesn’t.  That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t help me with my work (especially since my work is God’s ministry!).

When I reflect on those tough days, often only after the fact do I see God’s presence in a few ways.  First, the work doesn’t disappear but sometimes it gets done faster than I expected.  Sometimes, when the work is done, I realize how amazing it is that it got done.  In either of these cases, I realize God’s grace in getting the work done.

There can also be days when I have a lot to get done and never get to it because something else comes up like an unexpected call to the hospital.  I go and realize that the emergency call is more important in God’s eyes than the “other stuff.”

So, when I am having a bad day, I remember the times like these and realize I can count on God to help me.  I don’t get the huge epiphany I am looking for but I can live with an “attitude of gratitude” knowing that God will always help me.

We can come to Jesus as a king to ask for something (and we should express our needs) but then to trust in him with an “attitude of gratitude” and seek to use our gifts to serve God.

Mary, Mother of God, Year A
Numbers 6:22-27
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:16-21
January 1, 2014

God is instructing Moses to have Aaron and his sons, who serve as the priests, to offer a special blessing for the people.  They are in the desert, set free from slavery in Egypt.  It is now time for them to begin the next leg of their journey towards the Promised Land.  As they prepare to go, God offers this blessing.

January 1^st marks the beginning of a new year on our secular calendar.  This is seen as a new beginning, a time to celebrate and a time to make changes in our lives.  People make resolutions to do things that will make them better people.  Some people will even keep their New Year’s resolutions!

Our faith is a faith of new beginnings and it is good to make resolutions to become better people but we are not here to make the beginning of the new secular year.  There is nothing wrong with celebrating the New Year.  It just isn’t why the church calls us to come together to celebrate Mass today.

While we are not here to celebrate the beginning of a new year, we are here to celebrate a new beginning in time, the birth of our Savior Jesus.

Christmas day is December 25^th but it is too important to celebrate with a single day.  It marks Jesus’ birth as a turning point in Salvation History.  It marks a new beginning of what it means to have faith in God.

So, we will celebrate the season of Christmas until the Baptism of the Lord that falls on January 12^th this year but today marks a special point in our Christmas season.

Today is the eighth day since the birth of Jesus.  On the eighth day, the Jewish customs called the parents to take their newborn son to the temple for circumcision.  This is exactly what Mary and Joseph do as good Jewish parents.

Mary’s role as mother of Jesus did not end with Jesus’ birth.  Mothers have a role to play throughout the life of their children and Mary was no exception.

Mary remained with Jesus throughout his life, even being there at the foot of the Cross.  Mary truly was mother of Jesus.

Mary truly was mother of Jesus.  She said yes once at the Annunciation but it really became a lifetime of yesses.      Could Mary have ever imagined all that would happen?

We are told that when the shepherds came to see the baby Jesus and told her what the angel had said, we are simply told that Mary “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.”

We don’t know what Mary thought at that moment.  Maybe she understood it all or maybe it was too much to take it all at once.  Mary listened and reflected with a peaceful heart.

Here lies the place where I think our celebration of the Holy Day honoring Mary in our Christmas season and the celebration of our new secular year can come together.  We can ask ourselves what it means to be a people of peace.

I said “I think” but it is not an original thought of mine.  In 1968, Pope Paul VI declared January 1^st as a day to pray for peace.  Since then, each year the pope has written a message of peace for this day.  Pope Francis is continuing this tradition.

We can reflect on what peace means for us individually in our hearts and what peace would mean across the world.  The two are not exclusive.

For example, if we get away from materialism and obsession of things, we can have a more peaceful heart and in lessening our consumption of goods, those who do not have enough may have more and not need to fight for enough.

What can you do in your life to find peace?

Holy Family, Year A
Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
Colossians 3:12-21
Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
December 29, 2013

“Bearing with one another and forgiving one another.”

These are words that Paul writes to the Colossians.  Who do you think of as you hear these words?  Who is it that you feel you have to bear with?  Who do you need to forgive?

It can apply to various people in our lives but it can apply to our families in a unique way.  If you have a friend who you feel hurts you a lot, we are called to forgive them or perhaps to bear with them through a difficulty but in then the end, if they are a ‘bad friend’ we can find a new friend.  It doesn’t work that way with family.

It’s with family that we learn compassion and kindness, humility and gentleness, and perhaps most of all patience.

Today we celebrate the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.  What does it mean to be a family?

God did not create us to be isolated individuals.  God created us to be in communion with one another.  We see the communion in the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who are united in perfect unity.

We see it in the Holy Family.  Jesus, Mary, and Joseph do not exist as isolated individuals who come together for selfish gain.

Who leads the Holy Family?

Reading today’s gospel, in terms of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Joseph is leading the way.  This can bring to mind Paul’s words “wives be subordinate to your husbands.”  These are not popular words today.  Whether we are female or male, we don’t like to be told what to do.

A wife who tries to honor these words may feel like her husband always makes decisions that are selfish.  Any husband who does may hear the words “wives be subordinate to your husband” and uses them to get his wife to cater to his every need, hasn’t heard the words that follow “husbands love your wives.”

If we love someone and the love is mutual we should expect that each makes accommodates the needs of the other but not “accommodating the other” is not enough.

In love, we go beyond accommodating to making sacrifices for the ones we love.

I already mentioned how Joseph appears to be leading the way.  We see he does not make decisions based on his own needs and wants.  If he did, he probably won’t have moved the family to Egypt.

He moved the family for Jesus.  Jesus was not safe in Israel so Joseph uprooted the family, sacrificing the life he had for the family.

Before Paul says “wives be subordinate to your husbands” and “husbands love your wives” he says “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Joseph, in taking Mary (who was pregnant) into his home and taking the family to Egypt was following God’s will.

What does ‘being a family’ mean for you?

Do you pick a spouse who brings you physical pleasure and is willing to do things for you or do you seek a spouse that helps you to be become a better spouse, finding love and in finding love, find how God is calling you to live?

I wrote a paper in seminary that used a similar passage from Paul and titled it “Mutual Submission”.  In the paper, which is on my website, I describe the mutual submission as to one another.

That was ten years ago.  I still believe what I wrote then (or I won’t still have the paper on my website) but as we celebrate the Holy Family, I think we can extend the “mutual submission” to the whole family, mother, father, and children to submit to one another (making sacrifices for one another) and to submit together to God.

In this a family becomes what we call “domestic church”, an image of God’s love, living that love.  It begins with coming together as a family to church.

That’s why I enjoy seeing families in church, together.  It’s great to see people in church period but I find a special joy in finding families coming to church together.  It doesn’t matter the age.  I can look out in the pews and see multiple generations of families, not just parents and children, but grandparents too; three generations (sometimes even four) sitting together.  With the families I am thinking of the youngest generations are in their teens and the oldest is often retired but I would say that in every one of the families, it started with bringing babies to church, establishing the importance of God and coming to church early in life that it can become part of who we are on a core level.

In doing this, we follow the example of the Holy Family.

Christmas 2013, Year A
Isaiah 9:1-6
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-14
December 25, 2013

This summer a prince in line to the throne of England was born.  As a king-to-be, he was born in a private suite in the hospital.  There were people waiting outside the hospital as soon as they knew mom had gone to the hospital.  The news media was watching closely.

Many, not just those in England, were on “baby watch”.  The sensation didn’t end with his birth as people waited to hear his name. There was a lot of attention put on this ‘newborn king.’

We are here today to celebrate a birth and we decorate our church to look beautiful for such a special occasion.  We’ve got flowers, trees with ornaments and lights, and ribbon.

The trees remind us of everlasting life.  The lights remind us how Christ is the light of the world.  Today we have much fanfare, and rightly so, for our celebration of our Savior’s birth but it was not so at his actual birth.

We hear in our gospel and we see it in our manger scene.  Jesus was not born in a grandiose setting fit for the newborn king of the Jews.  He wasn’t born at home or a hospital or even an inn.  The only space was in a stable amongst animals where he laid in a manger.

In the way it came to be, fulfilling prophecies, we see the fulfillment of God’s plan.  Why won’t God plan for an elite setting for the birth of His Son?

Jesus didn’t come to look good.  Jesus came for us.  To show us this, Jesus was born into humble circumstances so there would be no confusion of the average person being able to relate to Jesus.

Jesus knows what it is look to be born as a baby, totally dependent on others.  Jesus knows what it’s like to grow through childhood and to become an adult.  Jesus, as the son of a carpenter, knows what it is like to work for a living.

All this for us.

It was a very simple setting.  No news media, no ‘groupies’ In fact the only way anyone knew immediately about Jesus’ birth was because God sent an angel to tell the shepherds and God will send a star to guide the magi.

It was a simple setting 2,000 years ago but today it is a great celebration because we have come to realize who Jesus is and all that he has done for us.

The first Christmas began a new age.  Today is a very holy day and people come forth in great numbers for our celebration.

Probably many of you have already had some Christmas parties at school or work, with families and/or friends but it is awesome to see so many people here for our Masses.

To me, our celebration here is what Christmas is really all about so I am pleased to see so many here.  God is also very pleased and we would love to see it like this all the time.

I see some regulars here and I see visitors.  For our visitors, some of you may have travelled from a far to be with family.  We are glad you got here safely and pray for your safe return home.  Some of you may belong to other churches but our Christmas schedule works for you.  Some of you may be people who come once in a while.  For some of you, it may be your first time in church in several years.  Right now it doesn’t matter where you have been.  We’re just glad you are here for our special celebration.

I think it is because we celebrate something so special that we have so many here.  Some come as regulars.  Some come because “that’s what we do at Christmas.”  Some come ‘because Grandma said so.  Sometimes I think we get tired and want some peace in the midst of the holiday busyness.

We are just glad you are here today and want you to know you are welcome to come back as often as you wish.

Jesus draws all here.  Maybe we don’t feel worthy to be here.  On our own we might not be.  Jesus gives us the Sacrament of Reconciliation to make us worthy through his death on Cross.  If you think you might need to go to confession, we stand ready every Saturday from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. or anytime by appointment.  Don’t know what to do? There are materials hanging outside the confessional.

Today God shows us his love in the birth of his Son and our Savior Jesus.  The grace of God has appeared and brings us hope.  We need hope or we could not survive.

Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.  Let us rejoice.

4^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Isaiah 7:10-14
Romans 1:1-7
Matthew 1:18-24
December 22, 2013

God offers King Ahaz a sign!

If God offered you a sign what would you ask for?

Would you ask for something simple or go “big”?

World peace?  Miracle cure?  A job?

I’m sure various things come to mind but let’s take a look at what Ahaz asked for.  Actually, it turns out he doesn’t ask for anything.  He says he does not want to “tempt the Lord” in according with chapter 6 of Deuteronomy.

On the surface this might make Ahaz look holy but when we look behind the scenes, it turns out Ahaz has his own plan apart from the Lord.

Then, even though Ahaz didn’t ask for a sign, one is offered – this birth of a son to a virgin.  Of course, this is fulfilled centuries later with Jesus’ birth.

We are almost to Christmas but not yet!  We are still waiting.  Appropriately, our gospel today comes from a point when it is almost time for Jesus’ birth but not yet.

Mary is pregnant.  She was betrothed to Joseph but he knows he is not the father so, being a righteousness man, he prepares to leave her.  He’s trying to do what is right but he needs a sign to know the right thing to do.  On his own, he would have not followed God’s plan.

Joseph’s sign is the appearance of an angel in a dream.  The angel explains to him that it is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived.  The angel tells him that he is to take Mary and Jesus into his home.  When God’s will is made known to him, Joseph does it.

What sign do we need for us to do God’s will?

The scriptures are full of signs.  Some signs are miracles.  Some come in the fulfillment of prophecies like the prophecy offered through Isaiah of Jesus’ birth, quoted in today’s gospel.

God can speak to us in different ways but is not Jesus’ birth among the greatest of signs?

Do you need proof of the value of Jesus’ birth as a sign?

Jesus’ birth speaks volumes to us.  We have proof.  This weekend we will probably have somewhere around 700 people.  For Christmas we could break 1200 (I’m hoping for even more).

Why?  Because people are looking for a sign!  I think whatever goes on in our lives, we know there has to be something more.

Of course, that something more is God.

There can be a lot of things that happen for Christmas.  There are parties and concerts at school for the children that have already happened before the Christmas vacation began this weekend.  There can be parties at work.  There will be family celebrations.

I hope all your Christmas celebrations are wonderful!  But even when all the parties go well, there is still something more.  It’s what we will celebrate here.

After our weekend Masses, we will be decorating our church for Christmas.  We will put up evergreen trees as a sign of everlasting life.  We’ll put up lights as a reminder that Jesus is the Lord of the world.

The Christmas decoration I like the most is our manger scene.  Why should the manger scene be so important amongst all our decorations?  It is the manger scene that points to the reason we celebrate Christmas, Jesus.

About four years ago, a song came out called “Where’s the Line to see Jesus?” song by Becky Kelley.  You can find it on YouTube with over 4 million views.  It’s got its own website.  There are a lot of children who wait in the line to see Jesus.

Whether you are a child or an adult, we are here to be in line to see Jesus.  It is Jesus that we seek at Christmas.