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Christmas isn’t a day; it is a season. There is a silly controversy in society over whether we should say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”, or perhaps “Seasons Greetings”. For us Christians, this season is a sacred time and the entire season is Christmas. The liturgical Christmas season includes several important feasts. The Christmas season is about the birth of Jesus and His revelation to the world as Savior and Messiah.

It is a season, so Seasons Greeting isn’t a bad greeting. It is not just one “holy day” but many, so even Happy Holidays makes sense, though it should perhaps be Happy Holy Days. And it is Christmas, the entire season, so Merry Christmas is appropriate until January 12, the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord and the end of the Christmas season. On January 13, we begin Ordinary Time.

This weekend, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Jesus was born into a human family and we acknowledge the importance of families for the Church and society. Families come in many forms and all families deserve to be respected, for it is within families that the faith is nurtured and handed on. Every member of a family can contribute to making the family holy, a place where love resides. Please God by loving your family. Often we adults are called by God to forgive family members.

On January 1, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. During the Christmas season, we recognize that the coming of Jesus as a human required a mother. Mary’s motherhood wasn’t just a biological act; she conceived Jesus in an act of faith and love. And she was His mother and His disciple.

On January 5, we have the Epiphany of the Lord. The Magi came from the east, following a star, to find the newborn King. King Jesus was revealed as the Savior for all nations and all people.

And finally, on January 12, even though it is still the Christmas season, we encounter a fully grown Jesus. We remember the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry as He was baptized and revealed as the Son of the Father. At the baptism, the Father’s voice acknowledged Jesus as Son and the Holy Spirit descended on Him and anointed Him as Messiah. God is revealed as Trinity, and Jesus as the long awaited One.

Merry Christmas! Seasons Greetings! Happy Holidays and Happy Holy Days!

Correction: Jubilee Year Opening

I gave the wrong date for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia opening Mass for the 2025 Opening of the Jubilee Year. The Jubilee Year will open with Mass at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul on Holy Family Sunday, December 29 at 11 AM. All are welcome.

End of the year donation

Please consider making an extra generous donation to Saint John’s for the end of the year, 2024. Thank you for your support for Saint John’s through 2024. In 2025, we will begin a capital campaign to repair our crumbling deck and our ancient air conditioning and electrical system.

But we always seem to have a need to repair something. In the last month, our hot water failed and the repair cost more than $700. We had some plumbing issues and paid more than $500. Once again (it seems to happen every few months), we have some ceiling flaking in the upper church and we need to repair the ceiling. We always have roof and ceiling issues. It costs several thousand dollars each time. We never let our upper church deteriorate, even though it costs money to keep it beautiful. Caring for ourbuildings is an ongoing expense. We keep our church open every day, all day, for prayer and this costs staff money. Saint John’s is important and it needs your support.

Some people, partly for tax reasons, donate before the end of the year.

Please keep Saint John’s open and vibrant.

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From the Pastor' Desk