I want to take this opportunity to tell you about our glorious Christmas Basket liturgy. There were 280 baskets which were lovingly delivered by a cadre of volunteer families and staff to agencies throughout the St. Louis and St. Charles area. The view of the baskets on the bleachers was humbling and awe-inspiring. A HUGE thank you to all families who generously and lovingly donated and helped!
At the conclusion of the liturgy, I shared the following quote of Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ as she reflected on the Christmas mystery:
“It was at Christmas that our Lord, as it were, took His first plunge into the heart of our troubles, of our difficulties, of our experiences, into the heart of the life we are leading.
“And that, not as someone standing at a distance, but as thrown into the stream―feeling the shock, the human astonishment at what took place around Him―feeling the poverty, the pain, the isolation in which He was left.”
I love that image of our Lord! Mother Stuart is describing a God who IS INDEED WITH US, one of us, suffering among us. God is with us in our worry and agony (just as Jesus agonized on Holy Thursday). God is with us in the midst of our physical pain (as was Jesus on Good Friday). And God is with us in the seeming spiritual emptiness of our lives (similar to the experience of Holy Saturday).
I reminded everyone that, though our world may have bleak moments of darkness, it is IN THE VERY MIDST OF THAT darkness, we must remind ourselves that we have a LIGHT.
That light was born into human history 2000 years ago in a very unique way, but that light IS born in our hearts in the here and now.
We keep that light burning brightly when we open our hearts and allow God’s Light to fill us.
We keep that light burning when we help at places such as Santa’s Helpers wrapping gifts for children who might otherwise not have gifts, as did the Fourth and Fifth Class students.
We keep that light burning when we donate money to buy presents for Adopt-a-Family families rather than buying gifts for each other, as did our Fifth through Eighth Class students.
We keep that light burning when we put together baskets of food for families in need, as did many of you.
We keep that light burning when we come in early to carry baskets or organize baskets, as have our oldest students, our Social Justice Club members, our Student Council leaders and many of our dedicated faculty and staff.
We keep that light burning when we help deliver baskets, as did many of you, our parents.
We keep that light burning when we choose to be gentle with each other, as we are inspired to be by the child in the manger.
Thank you! Thank you for keeping the Light burning bright in our world. And, may we all continue to open our hearts, thus experiencing the ongoing birth of God’s love within us and, in doing so, may we continue to BE GOD’S HEART and God’s LIGHT in a world which so desperately needs it.
Merry Christmas to each and every one!
