I hope you all had a most blessed Christmas and that despite the ongoing challenges in your daily lives you could find the JOY OF THE NEWBORN KING in your hearts! Together, let us GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR THE JOY OF THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON: THE PRINCE OF PEACE has come down from heaven and joined us on earth. We can proclaim with the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 9:1-6):

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a GREAT LIGHT; upon those who dwelt in the LAND OF GLOOM A LIGHT HAS SHONE. You have brought them ABUNDANT JOY AND GREAT REJOICING...For a child is born to us, a son is given us...They name him... PRINCE OF PEACE. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful.'"

Through this Christmas Season lasting until January 10, the Baptism of the Lord, and including the three celebrations of the Holy Family, of Mary Mother of God, and of the Epiphany of the Lord, let us keep walking together with the Prince of Peace, let us keep moving from Darkness to Light, from Fear to Peace, from Gloom to Joy!

With the "multitude of Angels" who appeared to the Shepherds at Bethlehem, let us keep praising God and singing with abundance of JOY:

"Glory to God in the highest and on earth Peace to those on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:14).

We believe that God loves each one of us and wants His Favor, His Grace to rest upon each one of us. Are we allowing His Love, His Grace to enter and rest into our hearts? Or are we so preoccupied with every day' s worries that we forget God? Are we ready to pray with the Psalmist (Psalm 95):

"Come, let us sing with the Lord and shout with JOY to the ROCK who SAVES us (Jesus). Let us approach Him with PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING and sing JOYFUL SONGS to the Lord...Come, then, let us bow down and worship, bending the knee before the Lord, our maker. For He is our God, and we are His people, the flock He shepherds."

Like the humble SHEPHERDS, do we come to Bethlehem with JOY to find Mary, Joseph and adore the infant lying in the manger, and then do we proclaim to everyone the good news of our having encountered the Son of God, God Himself (Luke 2:16-21, Gospel for the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, we celebrate this Friday January 1st, 2021, a Holy Day of Obligation)? Whenever we enter our Church, the House of God, do we bend the knee to adore and worship HIM as HE is always present in the Tabernacle (the favorite golden box for our little children)? or are we distracted by worldly matters, worldly attachments?

Like MARY, THE MOTHER OF GOD (Theotokos, in Greek meaning Bearer of God), do we ponder, do we reflect with humility and faith on the real presence of God within us? Since our baptism, God is within us: Emmanuel (God within us). The Holy Spirit, the triune God is within us. Like 

Mary, we too are a bearer (with a small "b") of God, we too are a living tabernacle, we too are a temple of God, we too are a house of the HOLY SPIRIT. This is particularly true when after going to Confession and being in a state of grace, we receive Jesus in the Holy Communion. I will never get tired of repeating the mantra: “Go to confession regularly to receive the Holy Communion in a state of grace."

Like the MAGI, are we OVERJOYED at seeing the star and on entering the HOUSE where the child Jesus was with MARY HIS MOTHER? (Matthew 2:1-12, Gospel for the Epiphany of the Lord we will celebrate Sunday January 3rd, 2021)? Like the Magi, are we prostrating ourselves and offering Gifts of Love to the newborn King? When we come to spend one Holy Hour of Adoration of the Lord exposed in the Blessed Sacrament on the altar, are we overjoyed to come and contemplate God like the Shepherds and the Magi?

Let us pray that the Joy of Christmas will stay in our hearts throughout the entire Christmas Season and beyond. Let us pray that in the coming days and weeks, we will all be able to get closer to God and closer to our own family, friends and fellow parishioners... despite the ongoing restrictions of social distancing.

As we entered this Christmas a Season, we have never seen an external environment like this in our own lifetime. We continue to face the multiple challenges that began ten months ago, including: the continuation of the worst pandemic in 100 years, friends or relatives suffering the direct impact of Covid-19 (including loss of lives, loss of jobs), our children unable to be in schools (having to stay at home for virtual learning), most-at-risk parishioners unable to attend Mass in church, increased fears of death and anxiety, increased sense of loneliness and isolation. So why should we be joyful, hopeful and grateful to God?

We believe in the continuing miracle of Christmas. We believe that the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ transforms the world once for all. At Christmas, "God became man so that man can become God."  We came from God, we are to return to Him. Through Jesus both man and God, we can share His divinity while on earth (especially through the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation). Heaven begins on earth. Jesus is our only Light, He is our only Hope, only with Him can we find Peace and Joy!

Together we have ENTERED A NEW BEGINNING. Together we have entered the Christmas Season WITH RENEWED HOPE! Together we can reflect on our personal experience of this Christmas and look forward to a NEW BEGINNING. May the LIGHT and JOY OF THE NEWBORN KING continue to fill our hearts with HOPE, PEACE and LOVE throughout the Christmas Season and the entire NEW YEAR 2021!

One in Christ,

Fr. Alain