Merry Christmas!

by Fr. David Halm, C.S.C.  |  12/24/2023  |  Pastor's Letter

Merry Christmas! On behalf of the priests and staff of the parish, we all hope you are able to share the many blessings of this holy season together with family and friends. Let us join together in prayer - both in Church and around our family dinner tables - asking our Heavenly Father for real peace and healing in the world today. In our prayer we are also mindful of those who are celebrating Christmas separated from loved ones because of distance or disagreement. Others are going through their first Christmas after the passing of a spouse, child, parent or sibling.

Please know that you aren’t alone - rather you have 7,000 families in your parish who love you and are right here for you. In a very real way, we are one big (diverse, sometimes noisy, always hopeful, holy) family at SJV and family supports each other in the tough times and celebrates together in the good times.

Many of you know that in Spanish the way you say that a mom is giving birth to her baby is dar a luz (literally, “to give to the light”) It’s one of my favorite meditations each Advent and Christmas to consider that Blessed Mother Mary gave Jesus, who is the Light of the World, to the world after His nine months of being formed and protected and growing in Her holy womb. Every baby born receives his or her first light at birth, but Our Savior is the Light itself coming into the world. Boy do we need His holy light to shine in the darkness of today!

The Good News is that He is shining. Jesus is knocking at our hearts waiting for us to open the door (Rev 3:20) and desires to give us the peace that only He can. We’re finishing 2023 in a mess and very wounded as human beings around the world. There is war and poverty for sure, but also anger and anxiety in many hearts, even around our West Valley. It’s time to receive Jesus in our hearts and give it all over to Him. He is the Light that comes into the darkness.

Let’s make this Christmas and the coming Year of Our Lord 2024 the year we really make Him our Lord and Savior! Whatever we may have been putting off or spiritually doing half-heartedly, “behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor 6:2) There will be lots of amazing opportunities in 2024 to dig deeper in your faith at SJV - sacraments, prayer, retreats, classes, service, pilgrimages, fellowship - but we know that renewal and flourishing starts at home: The family that prays together, stays together. May the Sweet Baby Jesus, Mother Mary and Holy Joseph bless and guide us all.