The Seasons of Advent and Christmas are upon us. What this has come to mean is we are bombarded through newspapers, radio, and television that it is only X more days to complete our shopping. With so much hoopla, it is hard to imagine anyone today being unaware that Christmas is coming.

However, it is not uncommon to hear people say that this year Christmas has "caught me off guard" or that "I’m just not ready for Christmas yet." Perhaps these may be some of your own sentiments. Many of us may very well be unprepared for these special Seasons of the Church Year.

So what are we going to do about it? Will we be satisfied to simply stumble through the season, trying as one person said, "to just SURVIVE"? If myself is the only thing I want to get out of these seasons, it probably will be. I know that suggestions, ideas, and concepts might sound good to our ears and look good on paper, but they rarely change our perspective. So, I’m not going to give you a huge list of alternatives, or a group of suggestions on the REAL meaning of Christmas, we already know that meaning. I will just say that each one of us must take some moments in these next several weeks to let go of the "rat race of Christmas" and let our minds and hearts leisurely move toward anticipation, expectancy, hope.

Be a child again. Revel in all the little nuances of this season - - - its smells, tastes, memories, decorations, traditions, dreams. It’s true, not all of these things connect us to faith and devotion to God, and they will not completely overshadow the problems we may be facing, but they do allow us to become human again. With so much tension, pressure, have toos and need toos, we can easily push aside so much of our humanity, that we forget that each one of us is part of the creation of God - - - Please remember during this season, that all of creation is GOOD.

Marty and I wish each of you a joyous Christmas Season. May God’s light overshadow the darkness and bring peace to you and the world.