As we celebrate the Incarnation of God the Son in Jesus, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.  Below is a special message to everyone from Fr. Paul.
 
Peace and Love,
Fr. Dan
 
 
Let Our Hearts Be a Manger to Emmanuel
 
Mary and Joseph journeyed from Nazareth to Bethlehem in Judea.  Unfortunately, when they reached their destination, they were unable to find a place to stay.  No one was able to welcome them.  All the houses were full.  This reminds me of Jesus’s response to the one who wanted to be His disciple, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest His head (Luke 9:58).  It, indeed, happen from the very beginning of His Incarnation.
 
He is the owner of the world, but the world does not want to own Him.  He was despised and neglected by the people of Bethlehem.  They were too busy entertaining their visitors and many other things.  And because of that, they missed the opportunity to make their home the birth place of the Messiah.  If one of them opened and welcomed their door to Mary and Joseph, their names would have been remembered throughout history.  Opportunity can knock only once sometimes.
 
What if we could turn back time and we were given the chance to have a home there in Bethlehem, would we accept the couple knocking at our door?  Of course!  Since we know the story of Jesus’s birth, we would say YES!
 
The nativity story happened more than two thousand years ago.  During the Christmas Season, we celebrate Jesus’s birth.  We do not have Mary and Joseph with a donkey knocking at our door, waiting for us to give them a comfortable place to stay.  But we do have the poor, the jobless, the homeless, our elders in hospice, the young ones.  They, in one way or another, need our time, talent, and treasure.  Let us open ourselves to serve those who are in need.  Let us celebrate this season for the right reason.  Let our hearts be a manger to Emmanuel.

God Bless,
Fr. Paul