The word “Incarnation” is not one that often jumps to mind when contemporary people think of Christmas but it is the core of our celebration. Incarnation means that God “took on our flesh” and became one of us. Too often people will think of God as a force or a distant vague reality that has nothing to do with our lives. Like the treacle pop song said,” God is watching us from a distance.” Indifference follows and a general sense that belief in God is an extra or superfluous. A distant God is not relevant or important. Christmas shows that our God took on our human nature and assumed the lowliest of positions as a Child in an insignificant part of the world and within our human history. Born in poverty, fleeing from death and persecution, raised in a family, working with his hands, preaching the reality of the intimate closeness of God and His ability to know and understand each person – you and me – finally sacrificing Himself for our sins and blindness and raised by the hand of His Father to be Our Light, and Our Salvation – this is Jesus the Christ.
We celebrate January 1st as a solemnity and Holy day of Obligation to attend mass because it is in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. This title is seen written in Greek on the right hand side of our main high altar. It refers more to Jesus than Mary in a way since it speaks of the reality that Jesus was God, not merely a person who was wise and holy, and not God pretending or masking himself to be human. Instead, it speaks directly to the mystery of Jesus being fully God and fully man. Thus this title of Mary is a profound one that we celebrate in each Eucharistic prayer.
This year we have the feast of the Epiphany on Sunday January 11th and in a way we are galloping through the Christmas season! This is when we commemorate the “Showing Forth” of the reality of the Christ-Child as saviour and King of the world. The Wise Men represent the non-Jewish believers throughout the world and is a promise that all the nations will come to worship Jesus as the Christ.
This is a profound and joyful time and as we celebrate let’s keep in mind the power and certainty of our Faith. Thank you to all the parishioners who have worked so hard throughout the year on committees, volunteering, leading groups and associations, within the liturgy in so many roles and doing so many things to help to keep our parish alive and vibrant. My sincere thanks and I pray for all of your intentions and needs. To only slightly paraphrase, St. Paul said “Each time I turn to the Father, I give thanks for you!”
May you all know all the Blessings of the Christ Child this Season and always!
Father Tom Lynch for the Pastoral Team Fr. Theodore Nnorom Fr. Charlie Fitzpatrick Sr. Loretta LaPointe Bradley Waggoner