Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. For unto us a child is born (Lk.3:10).
Great joy for all people??
As you and I gather with friends and family to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I truly hope you have a joy-filled and meaningful Christmas.
This is one of my favorite times of the year – remembering Jesus’ birth, worship and praise of God on Christmas Eve, being with family, giving gifts, singing carols, and enjoying the creative decorations. And yet, for many people this Christmas will be a very painful time of year.
This Christmas I want to ask you to look around you for those to whom this time of year is a difficult time of year.
Since last Christmas, some people have lost loved-ones – a spouse, a parent, a child, a good friend. Since last Christmas some people have gone through divorce, or have lost a job, or now have an estranged relationship. Since last Christmas some people are undergoing serious treatment for cancer or other disease which threatens their very life. For many of these people, Christmas will be very painful and lonely.
Christmas for many people is a time of gathering with relatives who they don’t really like to be around, or it is a time of not being able to gather with family because of broken relationships and family history. For many of these people, Christmas will be very painful and lonely.
Pray for them asking God to bless them with the awareness of His Presence.
Ask the Lord if you should do something for them or say something to them. It might be as simple as just giving them a hug. It might be inviting them over for a meal. It might be some means of conveying how much you value them. It might be filling up their car with gas as a Christmas gift. It might be watching the kids so they can have a night off. It might be taking them to a movie. Ask the Lord and He will show you.
“Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. For unto us a child is born” (Lk.3:10). Yes, it is a time of great joy for all people.
Let’s do our part in bringing this reality to others.
May you have a wonderful and Christ-filled Christmas Season, and may your new year be filled with the goodness of God!
Merry Christmas!
Bishop Foley