Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all of us at St Teresa of Avila!

Among the many rich symbols of this festive day are lights … because as Christians, we believe that Jesus is the light of the world and the birth of Jesus our Savior is celebrated at Christmas.

Despite putting white and colored lights in our windows, on our trees, in our creches, and sometimes even on our sweaters … interestingly, we really can’t see light – we can only see by light. The only way that we can see into what makes up light is through a natural phenomenon like a rainbow or a prism that refracts light into its various colors to reveal the beauty hidden within light itself.

That’s a great image for Christmas, the birth of Jesus, the light of the world. Jesus, our light, provides us the prism through which our reality, our circumstances, our lives can be viewed.

Our human journey of light begins here at this creche and ends at that cross, but both his birth and his death give us life – life eternal. Surely, there are many steps in between those two ends … and the road on this pilgrimage is filled with twists and turns, and as this year has demonstrated, with many unknowns … but we do not walk it alone.

Our faith reminds us that as a Christian community, we journey with others … even with the difficult people in our lives.

It’s that light of Christ that can give us the prism through which we can see others as God sees them.

It’s that light of Christ that allows us to see through COVID, sickness and even death … to see the eternal beauty that lies beneath every human life.

It’s that light of Christ that gives us hope!

Christmas challenges us in a world so prone to the temptations that Jesus refused: possessions, prestige, and power – to become childlike. For Jesus, children were the bigger picture. In their innocence they model for us adventure, exploration, imagination and joy!

This Christmas, in addition to being pre-occupied with giving gifts to others, take some time today to love yourself … because you are God’s gift too!

It's my prayer, and that of all of us who serve here at St Teresa, that each of us can better see all things by Christ’s light, because when that prayer is realized, we will truly celebrate a Merry Christmas today and every day!

RSM