Merry Christmas! Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good will. (Luke 2:14) So the angels sung to the shepherds near Bethlehem.
I had the privilege of visiting Bethlehem and the Holy Land this past year in late February - early March. I am thankful to had the opportunity as now no one will be traveling to war-torn Israel for while. We pray for peace there. The picture included here was taken of me taking a picture of a cat on top the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. I noticed there were lots of roaming cats at all the sites we visited, so I just started taking pictures of them for the fun of it (not that I am particularly fond of cats). A fun caption of this picture could be “Roaming Cat-licks in the Holy Land”.
But who knows if this cat’s distant ancestors might have inhabited Bethlehem and kept the stable-cave where Jesus was born free from pesky mice! One can imagine! But far harder to imagine the area coming to lasting peace. Recall what Jesus said about Jerusalem before he cleansed the temple that used to stand right about where I took that picture, “As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:41–44)
If only you knew what makes for peace…because you did not recognize the time of your visitation. This Christmas is the time especially to recognize that Jesus truly visits us still today. He has not left us alone. He still is with us, comes to us, is present. Especially, as Catholics we believe in the Real Presence of Jesus—the Eucharist—that we celebrate every Mass, not just Christ-Mass (aka Christmas). Jesus so desires to bring us peace. The angels sang of it at his birth. Jesus died to make peace between us and God, to bring us forgiveness of our sins and redemption. And the first word Jesus spoke to his apostles after he rose from the dead was “peace”. Nothing on earth can give us such peace, no amount of money, or power, or politics, or pleasure, or any other thing. Our world is experiencing the tragedy of war. But our lives also bear so much stress, worry, fear, and hurt. Come to Jesus and to true peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27)
May the Lord Jesus bring you and your families the gift of peace through his Divine Presence. Merry Christmas to you all!
Peace,
Fr. Greg