Dear Our Lady of Lourdes-All Hallows Church Family, like the song, have it, "we've come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord, trusting in His Holy Word. He never fails me." The world as we know it has gone through some challenging times, and we all have been impacted in one way or the other.

By the grace of God, we have come through an extraordinary year fraught with challenges and trials that none of us could have expected. We have found ourselves confused, scared, and anxious. We realized the frailty of our earthly life and the many fleeting things of this world we so often cling to. More than anything, we have found ourselves in need of a Savior.

In these challenging moments, we are strengthened by God’s promise, spoken in Deuteronomy, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you (Dt 31:6).”

As members of Our Lady of Lourdes-All Hallows Church family, we should remain steadfast in hope. May our hope not waver because the birth of our Savior at Christmas reminds us that we are strengthened continually by the presence of Emmanuel – God with us. He is the Lord who saves us from our sins and weaknesses and reconciles us with the Father.

Christmas is all about Love. It is about the love of God in sending His only begotten Son to restore us to God’s friendship and reconcile us with God. God's Love. The love of God is so much that God gave us the most precious gift imaginable, Jesus. This is the heart of Christmas. This wonderful love calls us to love one another.

As a Church family, we share the love of Christmas in and through our human relationships. At Christmas, we remember that Jesus was born in poverty, in a stable among the poorest people and the farm animals. What does this mean for us today? We are called to look for the face of Christ in the poor, those at our doorsteps, and in distant places. Love can look like a cup of coffee offered, a handheld, a smile shared, and a story heard. I firmly believe that, in the end, we will be judged by how we care for the poor or, as St. John of the Cross would put it, "In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone."

Christmas is also about repentance and forgiveness. Love takes commitment and work, and sometimes we don't get it right. We're not perfect. But with God, there is mercy and forgiveness, and second chances. And so must we offer those gifts to others. Christmas is a time of renewal, fresh starts, and coming together.

Merry Christmas!!!