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6/28/10
Yes. A Christmas Message. Yes, I know that Christmas is six months away: that’s the whole point.
You see we just celebrated the feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist on June 24th. That’s the Church’s way of saying the Nativity of Jesus Christ is six months away. The decreasing daylight from now until Christmastime is a reminder that the Light of the World is on his way.
My fellow Cycling for Change Riders and Support Team are cycling across the country reminding everybody that 40 million Americans live below the Federal poverty line. We’ve been cruising around telling everybody that 1 in 7 households, according to the U.S.D.A., struggle to keep food on their plates. We’ve been cycling across the country telling Americans that since the economic downturn 170,000 families---that’s whole families---have moved into homeless shelters.
What if you started planning now to do something really extraordinarily good for some family in need this Christmas? Heaven knows there is no shortage of need. Or what if you pitched in to help some agency or church in their efforts to bring Christmas to those who would otherwise go without? What if you explained to your children now the need to be aware of those less economically fortunate than they are, then followed up that explanation up with a Christmastime project for those in need? What if you uncles and aunts and grandparents took the time now to plan to do something really charitable with your nephews, nieces, or grandchildren? What better gift is there than to spend TIME with someone you love doing something good and gracious for others, honoring the birth of Jesus Christ? Please start now to look around for something you can do, something the whole family can do.
Dear friends, please give some thought to the beginning of some new family tradition. Everybody benefits. And the best gift of all is that you will be making some small contribution to the ending of extreme poverty in this country.
It’s only June, yes I know, but I hope you don’t mind if I wish you a Merry Christmas right now.
-Fr. Matt
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