Dear brothers and sisters,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a happy and healthy New Year celebration. I am so thankful to so many who helped make this Christmas so special. I would like to mention Fr. Evarist for his loving ministry in the hospital and here and our faithful Deacons, Jim Walsh, John Klincewicz and Bob Cerefice, who do so serve our parish. Thanks to our Sacristans, Ed Fletcher and Ed Sawicki, who worked so hard with volunteers to make the Church look beautiful, and to Michael Taylor and the Choir who sang so beautifully. I am always so impressed by the way everyone comes together to keep Christ in Christmas and to worship our Lord Jesus Christ. I would also like to thank all of our parishioners who were so kind to our visitors. I really believe that making everyone feel welcome has the power to call them back.

We have a unique opportunity to evangelize as we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. John Chrysostom (347-407), in his homily on this passage from Matthew 2, explains the significance of the star of Bethlehem: “Note how fitting was the order of events: the wise men saw the star, were received by the Jews and their king, they heard prophecy to explain what had appeared, the angel instructed them and then they jour- neyed from Jerusalem to Bethlehem by the guidance of the star. From all this we learn that this was not an ordinary star, for no other star has this capacity to guide, not merely to move but to beckon, to “go before them,” drawing and guiding them along their way. The star remained after bringing them to the place, in order that the child might also be seen, for there is nothing conspicuous about the place. The inn was ordinary. The mother was not celebrated or notable. The star was needed to manifest and illumine the lowly place, until they had reached their destination at the manger.” [The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 7:3] We are called by Jesus to allow this light of Christ to shine through us in such a way that those we encounter will see the Light of Christ in our words and actions. So, let us go forth in this new year renewed by the love of Jesus and glorify God by our Life.

Peace,

Fr. Mike