Merry Christmas


Friends in Christ,

When I was ordained a priest in June 2017, Bishop Walkowiak in his homily encouraged my brothers and I to live our lives in such a way that it is “a fresh incarnation.” He said our hands, “the hands of the priest, become Christ’s hands in order to heal.” Then he finished by saying, brothers, “lay down your lives for the Lord who loves you.” I have never forgotten this. I use it sort of as an examination of conscience, a gut check if you will, for how well I am responding to God’s call to bring Christ’s healing love into the world. 

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the only reason it is possible for us to be “a fresh incarnation” is because Christ became one of us. It is because of what we celebrate on Christmas Day. Jesus, has become one of us. God has visited us through his son. 

Let us never lose sight of this beautiful gift. Jesus has come so we could live with joy as God’s sons and daughters. A joy that is fully aware that we are loved and wanted by God.

May you know how special you are. May you know how loved you are.  May you know that God wanted you. God created you. And God loved you enough to send you his son. That is something quite extraordinary if we really stop and think about it. We may wonder why we matter so much to God? And really the answer is simple. Because we are his and he made us. And that means God thinks we are pretty special. Special enough to send his son. Christmas is a reminder of just how special we are to our Heavenly Father.

Merry Christmas!