Preparing for Joy

Merry Christmas to everyone!

As we enter into this season of Christmas, we might take a moment to reflect – am I prepared for Joy this season? It fascinates me every Advent that we split our time, energy, and prayer evenly between preparing for the First Coming of Christ in Christmas and the Second Coming of Christ at the end of time. At first glance, it seems like the often-gloomy thought of our end should dampen the high spirits of Christmas, but if we think about it- what really is the difference in these encounters with Christ?

Some 2000 years ago, in a manger in a stable in Bethlehem, a baby boy was born. This baby, Jesus Christ, answered the prayers of hope and expectation of His people and fulfilled the prophecies of old to save humanity and bring light into the world again. In His earthly life, humanity was given a chance to meet Jesus, to receive Him, and to allow Him to receive us. Through this marvelous exchange, we were saved.

Today, we live in that same spirit of hope and expectation. Our Lord is coming again! Not as a baby, but as a King who will fulfill those promises left unfulfilled. Like the shepherds and Wise Men who were first to greet Our Lord, we will have the same opportunity to meet Jesus, to receive Him, and to allow Him to receive us into His eternal light.

Although the preparation of Advent is now behind us, our preparations to meet Christ never end! So this Christmas, with the blessing of the Holy Family, receive the light of Christ and accept His salvation, live in the grace of the Incarnation that your hope and faith might always be realized, and let the Nativity of Christ take place within your own heart, that you might always be prepared for Joy.

God bless you and have a Merry Christmas,
Fr. Michael Courchaine
Associate Pastor