My family and I would like to wish each and every single one of you a very Merry Christmas! I hope this Christmas weekend finds each of you joyful and safe. I cannot thank the St. Paul family enough for all the wonderful support and friendship you have given to me and my family. These times are tough, but we are all children of God and we will all be ok. It seems like every new day brings a different set of challenges to us, and they all seem to be very unique. I am almost tired of asking the question “What’s next??” However, the promise of Christmas lets us know that our difficulties will be conquered by the love of God. That little sleeping baby in the manger is waiting for each of us to come forward, to visit Him, and to allow Him to come into our hearts and souls. We only have to trust! This year is quickly coming to an end, and there are still many roadblocks and challenges left to face; but will we let despair win out the day? Or will we rise up and fight for our Savior, and for our lives!?!? God has given us this wonderful gift of His Son, Jesus Christ! The promise of Christmas is that Christ has come to lead us to our Heavenly Father and we must, now more than ever, open our hearts and run towards Him!

This weekend is “The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, and this is the perfect time to hit reset on our lives and take up after the Holy Family. The Gospel reading this weekend talks about the patiently waiting man named Simeon. Simeon allowed the Holy Spirit to work through him, so that when God sent the Messiah, Simeon would recognize him. Boy did he ever realize that this little baby, in his sight, was the promise of God to free all from the power of evil! He knew this by hope and faith in God, the Almighty Father. We also see the faith of a woman named Anna, and she too was patiently waiting for the promise of the Christ! Her faith had saved her and made her prayers come true! Her first instinct upon seeing Baby Jesus was to give glory to God. We have so much to be grateful for these days, and even in these trying times, we must always see the good that surrounds us. During this Season of Christmas what are you thankful for, what is the true gift that you have received this Christmas? Let us challenge ourselves to find a new hope in this Christmas Season, and let us journey together for His Christmas promise!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year–