Celebrate…

Christmas is one of the most important times of the year. For many of us it is a time to reflect on whatever their Christian faith means to them and for others it is simply a good opportunity to relax with friends and family. 

Christmas is also a time for communities to come together, to give and to share and to be at peace, a time to build the kind of respect for each other, that helps us to be stronger. Ronald Rolheiser said that Christmas is like a diamond turning in the sun, it gives off many sparkles. Christmas is about the monumental challenge to reform our lives, our adult lives, and become women and men of justice; but it is also about a baby being born, innocent and powerless in the straw, whose vulnerability is God's invitation and judgement.

Seeing is baby Jesus as white, olive-skinned, dark skinned or black, reminds us that Jesus was born like all of us, and for all of us. If we believe this, our prejudices will fall away along with all that weakens, breaks, and destroys the union of wills that can make peace a reality.

Hope for 2009 is that the goodwill and respect that we all enjoy at Christmas will last all year round.