Merry Christmas! A Blessed Christmas! A Happy Christmas! A Holy Christmas! – to you!! No, I didn’t write “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings” for a particular purpose, because that’s not how Christians greet one another during this time of the year. Even my non-Christian friends know that. The other greetings are the appropriate ones for clergy and non-clergy alike. So, when you go your merry way today and the next few weeks, greet your neighbors and friends with the appropriate Christian greeting, and may the sound of that greeting in your ears give the reason for the season. Keep Christ in Christmas, and don’t let the Grinch steal it from us.

Thank you to our Knights of Columbus who sponsored the parish event Friday a week ago that helps fund the tuition in our school for the children of the late John Krolikowski, our first Parish Manager. As you know, the Lord came and took him to Himself (for reasons that we probably won’t know in this life), and changed the plans that John had to give his children the Catholic education he cherished. Thanks be to our brother Knights and their helpers, we came together as a parish family to help realize that dream, and help those plans of John’s come to fulfillment. That’s why I invest a lot of my time and energy into the Knights’ organization, for they epitomize what their founder, the Venerable Father Michael McGivney, wanted the men to be: men who exemplify the virtues of charity, unity and fraternity. May God bless them and their supportive families!

New Year begins on Sunday, January 1st, with the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. Our Mass schedule next weekend, therefore, follows the Christmas Day Mass schedule, with NO Sunday evening Mass at 5:30 PM! Please be advised of this special schedule, as the obligation to observe this Solemnity falls on a day of the regular Sunday obligation (which doesn’t hold if it falls on a Saturday or a Monday).

Father Danis and I have noted how many involved parishioners of our parish have been in the hospital during these past two weeks (or family members of our involved parishioners). It seems that we have been running the gamut of hospitals in south Palm Beach County, not only our own local Bethesda. In most instances, these patients will return to their families; but in some cases, they are preparing to return to the Lord. Hopefully, in each instance their stay, it’s been a chance to be open to the spirit of this holy season, even with the possibility of saying to the Lord, face-to-face, “Happy Birthday, Jesus!” When He finally does come, may they be happy to celebrate Christmas with Him in heaven. In the meantime, may you and your family enjoy the peace, joy and hope of this Christmas season. May you not lose its flavor long after the Christmas season has closed on January 10th, and the trees and decorations have been taken down.

“Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays…” goes a popular song of the season. But for many people, the tune can have many different takes. “Home” could be anywhere in this country, or abroad, or as distant as heaven itself. Some people long to be with loved ones who have gone before us in the hope of the resurrection. For whatever reason, they’re celebrating Christmas here, though saddened they may be. For others, it means travelling to or from here to be with the loved ones. Wherever you may find yourself this Christmas, may you be filled with much peace!

Very Rev. Canon Tom