Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Mary didn’t just go through the motions that first Christmas night. As the Gospel tells us, she “treasured” these events, “reflecting” upon them in her heart. 

How often do we reflect upon the meaning of Christmas? Do we ever go through the motions, returning to life as normal on December 26^th?

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By now all of our Christmas gifts have been unwrapped – some gifts stored away, others returned. 

We can literally say Christmas was “last year.” But that doesn’t mean the meaning of it should be in the past. We’re invited to reflect upon our faith – and its relevance in our lives – each and every day.

As it’s written in the Letter to the Hebrews, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” He deserves our devotion everyday, not just during the holidays.

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Secondly, the Gospel tells us that Mary wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes. He wasn’t covered tightly in a “onesie” like so many newborns today; Jesus was wrapped in a blanket.

That blanket carries with it deep symbolic meaning. We are meant to conform ourselves to Christ – to wrap ourselves around him – much like a blanket wrapped around a child. 

The opposite would be trying to make Jesus conform to our own plans, our own wants, and our own ideas of who God should be.

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Mary did the opposite. She accepted the Lord’s plans for her life, even when it was difficult, and she didn’t understand. 

In fact, she was the only person who was present with Jesus when he first opened his eyes in Bethlehem, and present again when he closed them on Calvary.

Two events that made little sense at first.

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That’s the challenge for all of us, to follow Christ from beginning to end, to conform ourselves to him like swaddling clothes wrapped around an infant.

As we begin a new year – in fact a new decade – how can we better conform ourselves to Christ? Where do we need to bend our will to accommodate his?

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Mary treasured the events of Christmas, pondering its meaning in her heart. We are invited to do the same – to consider the relevance of our faith every day of our lives, for, “Jesus Christ is the same – yesterday, today, and forever.”

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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

With this opening sentence, John begins describing the creation of the cosmos. The world, he goes on to say, was a formless waste. 

But God created order – and with that all of humanity.

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We know how the history of our world has unfolded since – there’s been a combination of light and darkness, love and hatred, peace and war, action and indifference. 

You might say, a mixed bag.

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Maybe that’s how 2019 was for us – a mixed bag.

There were days we’d probably like to repeat and days we’d like to erase; days when we were sinners, days when we were saints, and lots of days in between.

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But herein lies the blessing of New Year’s Eve. We’re at the end of the road. 

Tomorrow is a new year – a new decade – and with it a clean slate.

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As we turn to 2020, may every blessing you seek be yours.

Bring the right attitude, never forgetting Jesus is Emmanuel, God is with us.

Happy New Year!

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“There was a prophetess, Anna…who never left the temple” (Luke 2:36-40).

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This is one of the only passages in the entire bible where a female prophetess is mentioned.

In this case, it’s the prophetess, Anna, an 84-year-old widow, who spends her days in the temple praying to God.

Like many in Israel, Anna believed that God would visit his people – it’s the most important promise the Lord makes in the Old Testament. They just didn’t know when he would do it. 

Today, in her elderly years, Anna sees this promise answered.

Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us.

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Though we may not be physically frail – or in our 80’s – like the prophetess Anna, how many of us have become spiritually frail, tired of waiting for the Lord to act?

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Anna waited her whole life for God to answer her deepest desire.  And notice where he answers it – in the temple.

The same will be true for us.

If we want God to act in our lives, the best place be is right here in church.