On behalf of all of us at the Windsor Heritage Catholic Family of Parishes, I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas! Whether you are a regular parishioner, a visitor, or you are worshiping with us for the first time, I want to thank you for joining us as we celebrate the birth of our Lord. May this holy season be a time of great joy for all of us.
As we gather this weekend for our Christmas celebrations, we recognize that the true message of Christmas is found in the proclamation of the angels, as they exclaim: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those who he favours!” As we contemplate the image of the newborn Christ child in the manger, the message of the angels reminds us that we are called to be people of peace, and that we are called to spread the peace and joy of the Gospel into the world.
Christmas is indeed a time of great joy. I remember many joy-filled moments as a child, as we opened our Christmas presents, and saw our Christmas wishes coming true before our very eyes. That joy, however, like so many things in our lives, was fleeting. Eventually, the toys we were so excited to get were left on a shelf gathering dust, as we looked for the next new thing to make us happy. This is a reminder to us that Christian joy is different from the joy and happiness we experience during the varied moments of our lives.
The source of this true Christian joy can be found in the words of the prologue to the Gospel of Saint John, which is read at the Mass of Christmas Day. In the prologue, John describes Jesus as “the light of the human race.” This light “shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” As Christians, we recognize that Jesus is the true light of the world, who comes to save us from the darkness of sin and death. This knowledge is what helps to sustain our true joy, even when we find ourselves facing periods of darkness and doubt in our lives. It is also what helps us to recognize that true Christian joy can be found even in those moments where we don’t feel particularly happy.
As we celebrate the true joy of the Christmas season, I pray that God will help the spark of that joy to grow in each of your hearts. May he help us all to spread the peace and light of the Christmas season to all those we encounter during this holy and sacred time.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Steven Huber, CSB