Christmas Message from Fr. Bill

I made a 40 day retreat in 2010 with 20 other people at a Jesuit Retreat Center in Guelph. There was a priest named Mark from Australia who was on the retreat. When the retreat was over several of us made a day trip to Niagara Falls, including Fr. Mark. As he looked at the spectacular falls for the first time he said to us: “Family and friends have been here and told me about it, but to be here in person is unbelievable…amazing!”

We might relate to this experience quite easily. We are told by others about the amazing experiences they have, but we also have the invitation and possibility of experiencing amazing things ourselves.

In the Christmas story of Luke’s Gospel the angels tell the shepherds of the amazing birth of the child Jesus. They say in response, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” “So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.”

The story of Jesus doesn’t just have to be a story for others and something that others experience deeply. The story of Jesus can be experienced by us all. The following might help direct us to the reality of Christ among us.


Jesus Christ is found…..

   - In nature…Niagara Falls, Wolastoq River, Crabbe Mountain, Lakes of our area and every being, infant, child, youth and adult that God has created.

   - In a prayer experience…. Christmas Mass, a brief grace before a meal, a reflection time on a scripture passage, an interior thank-you for a moment of grace, an inner plea for help, etc.

   - In our workplace, our volunteer experiences, our outreach to those in vulnerable circumstances, and in receiving care, forgiveness and kindness from another.

   - In a 1,000,000 other ways.


We also need to realize that this time of year is very difficult for many. The human journey can also have unbelievable tragedy, hurt and mistreatment.

The dream of Jesus is to walk intimately with us through these realities into help, healing and renewed hope. One of the ways for this to happen is to notice that our ‘God-given light” or “the Christ -within -us” is never lost or taken from us.

May this Christmas season renew in us the deep truth that goodness, love, and wonder is not just an experience for others, but that we too can experience in our ordinary circumstances much that is amazing and worth pondering and treasuring in our hearts, as Mary does in her Christmas story.

Merry Christmas to you all and thank you for being God’s light in the life of this parish and in my life personally in such a variety of ways that are at once, ordinary and amazing. Thank you to so, so many who volunteer in our many ministries and committees. Thank you to Marlita for her administrative support and gifts. A special thank you to Judy and Barb and the ‘all-year-long’ gift of leadership and pastoral care they are among us.