We know that our world is in great need of His healing and mercy. God calls you and me to participate in the redemption of our world with Him. He asks us to commit ourselves to being with Him in all things. He has called you here today to celebrate Christmas Mass with Him and with your family of faith who gather with us. He calls you to celebrate Mass with Him in the Church every Sunday. If we want our life to be transformed by the mystery of the Incarnation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection, we need to be present and stay close to that mystery every day and every week. Recommit yourself this year to being present each and every week to Sunday Mass and to daily prayer. Drawing near to Him is our salvation and joy!
I realize it can be hard to draw close to our Savior when we may be filled with shame or regret from our past, or perhaps because we have been hurt unfairly by the Church's ministers. But remember that we should not define ourselves based on our past, or stay away from the Church because of the harmful actions of others. Rather, draw near to Jesus, the source of our healing and salvation. Don't let the wounds of sin keep you from the place of mercy when and where you need it most!
As you leave church today, please pick up the special gifts we have prepared for you: a Wisdom of the Saints book with a daily inspirational quote from one of the Church's saints, and a candy cane with an attached prayer. While you can enjoy the candy cane at any time, the prayer can serve as a book mark for you as you engage in spiritual reading this year.
Finally, please make an end of the year designated contribution to the St. Mary School Angel Scholarship Fund to take advantage of the new State of Ohio tax credit. Not only will your contribution give you a dollar-for-dollar reduction in your state tax liability, but it will offer tuition scholarships for our school families. Pick up a flyer, step-by-step instructions, and a contribution form in the back of the church this week and make your donation happen in 2022!
Merry Christmas!
Fr. Scott Goodfellow