Welcoming us home for Christmas
As the Christmas Season of 2023 draws near, many people will find themselves traveling.
They will be traveling to a place they call home.
Home is often viewed as a special place where they grew up and their roots began.
Home is where family and friends often still reside.
The feelings people experience when they return home to be amongst family and friends for the Christmas Season are usually feelings of happiness, joy and love.
This brings some thoughts to mind. Are we traveling on a spiritual road that will lead to our eternal heavenly home?
Are we striving to set our sights toward the goal of seeing our Savior Jesus Christ face to face for eternity in his abounding glory?
If we are not striving for this goal, then what is the point of Christmas?
Christmas is not about shopping, gift-giving, parties, cookie-baking and the like.
All of these things are nice, but Christmas is about the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the one who gives us happiness and joy.
Jesus is the one who was born humbly as a babe, walked on this earth, and then died an atrocious death to save us all from our sins.
He never leaves us, he never gives up on us, and he loves us unconditionally forever.
Many Catholics will travel to their hometowns during the 2023 Christmas Season.
Many Catholics will grace the doors of the church and participate in Mass for Christmas and possibly throughout the Christmas Season.
They will find comfort and peace as they participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass where God will be with them in his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.
They will truly be home as the heavenly angels will be on earth during the Mass.
Then, as Christmas Day passes and the Christmas Season fades out, what will these Catholics who came home do?
Will their hearts be drawn ever so close to their Savior and will they continue to visit and honor him at Mass, or will their faith eventually dull out and their hearts grow cold just like Christmas lights dimming out being unplugged, growing cold and boxed away until the next Christmas Season arrives?
Let us ALL realize that we are granted a short time here on this earth. We do not know how many Christmas Seasons we have to celebrate.
We must endeavor to travel the road home and help others get home to the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
May our hearts be led this Christmas Season and ALWAYS to the Catholic Church, which is guided by the Holy Spirit, and uses Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium to provide the best possible path to guide us all home — home to our Eternity with Jesus in Heaven.
God is waiting patiently for each of us. He is longing to welcome us home.
Anita Frey is a member of St. Alexander Parish in Belle.
